The Remnants of Nirn
by xXEmpoweredXx
Summary: After a simple mission went awry, Teams RWBY and JNPR are transported to the land of Skyrim, with no immediate way of returning home. In order to find a way back, they must travel all across Skyrim, meeting up with many prominent characters along the way. (I'm terrible at descriptions, sorry. Rated M for language).
1. The Nordic Scroll

**Chapter 1: The Nordic Scroll**

 ** _Blake's Perspective_**

I look out from my bed below Yang's and into the two girls that were seated in between the bunk beds.

"Yang, I want cookies!" Ruby whined.

"I do too." Yang agreed.

Their conversation about cookies was cut off by the sound of our scrolls going off. Yang was the first to grab hers off the floor.

"Professor Ozpin wants us to go to his office." She summarized.

"Really?" Weiss asked exasperatedly.

"Yup." Yang replied, popping the p.

There was a lot of moaning and groaning, mostly from Weiss, as we got out of our comfortable positions and headed off to Professor Ozpin's office. I thought about what we could've been assigned to. _Patrol? Search and Destroy?_ Ruby and Weiss were talking about how nice combat skirts were while Yang injected with things like "But gauntlets are cooler!" and "Have you seen this cute top?". We finally reached Professor Ozpin's office and Yang kicked open the door with a "Heyoo~".

Professor Ozpin sat with the back of his chair facing us. "Welcome." He said ominously, spinning his chair around. It kept spinning. "I'll get it on the next turn." He said, defeat evident in his voice. He stopped in when it came around again. He held one hand on the table and the other grasped the chair arm. "Got it!" He said to himself. "Now," He looked up to us and Team JNPR, they arrived before us, and told us what we were doing, "You are going on an investigation in the farthest south point of Vale. There will be some ruins near the point of insertion and I will need you to inspect them. I got some messages about a new species of…" He trailed off in thought, "Grimm-like things" He decided "walking around it. It shouldn't be too difficult to handle, just enter it and find the source of these new species." He waved us off, telling us to go to the ruins.

"What a weird thing we're doing." Yang commented.

"Is it possible for a new species of Grimm to surface?" Pyrrha asked.

"I guess since no one has been to that area very much, it could be possible." I answer.

There was a silence while we all thought about how a new species could be brought forth.

Jaune stopped in his tracks and started patting his pockets. He looked up with a scared expression on his face that never seems to leave.

"I… forgot my scroll." He said, voice hardly above a whisper.

Pyrrha grabbed his shoulder with her left hand.

"I'll go with you to get it." She smiled and said.

As they walked off Ren cat-called. Pyrrha sent him a scary gaze, her hand still on Jaune's shoulder, and Nora gently hit his head.

We waited for them to return by the airship and Weiss walked on board to get her seat fit for a "queen". After around 10 minutes Jaune and Pyrrha walked out of the school. Pyrrha was telling Jaune something, then ruffled his hair. Jaune had a look of shame on his face throughout the one-sided conversation. They reached the airship and we all boarded.

"So what were you talking to Jaune about?" Ruby asked, the excitement of a new trip evident in her mannerisms. Pyrrha's face turned a little pink at the thought of us seeing that.

"I-I was trying to help tell him how to organize his stuff better." She told us.

"Okay!" Ruby responded and proceeded to change the conversation so fast I got whiplash.

The pilot called back from the front of the ship that the "ETA" was around 5 minutes. I could only assume that meant "Estimated Time of Arrival". Within around 4 minutes of him saying that the airship bounced, telling us that it touched down. Team JNPR walked out first, Pyrrha and Jaune in the lead, followed by Yang and I, then Ruby and Weiss. After we all got off the ship it lifted off and flew back towards Beacon.

"So, where do we go from here?" Weiss asked. "Because it's hot here and I don't want have to walk for a while." She continued.

Pyrrha told us that the ruins were two clicks west, about a 40 minute walk. We set off and walked through a dense forest that engulfed us as soon as we left the landing zone of the airship. The walk felt like it took forever. I was so hot, I took off my bow that covered my ears, just so that I could cool off a little bit. Ren wasn't as lucky. He carried Nora pretty much off of the airship. And yet he still had to deal with Nora complain about the heat. _How he has the nerve to put up with her, I'll never know._

Upon reaching the ruin, some of us, myself included, almost collapsed, in Jaune's case he really did collapse, at the sight of a ruin that looked like it was a broken-down and decaying factory. It had brass colored tubes on the ground and broken pipes sticking out of a collapsed tower, water dripping out of one of them. Vines and trees grew out of and on the stone walls that still stood. The door, or at least I assume the large brass rectangle was the door, was partially blocked by the broken tower, but a path could be possible to make out of it. I looked up to see where the tower would've stood and my vision was obstructed by the cover of the trees. I looked to everyone else and saw my hesitancy mirrored on some of their faces.

"It _is_ a ruin." Nora said, in slight disbelief.

"What did you expect? A pristine place?" Weiss replied sarcastically, with anger very evident in her voice.

We ignored what she said and started moving the stones around the door so we could get in. I pushed the biggest stone that blocked the door with Ruby, Ren and Nora. After a whole lot of pushing, we managed to move it out of the way. And once the dust cleared, we were shocked to see how well preserved the door was. Not only that, it was covered in elaborate carvings and designs that suggested that the people who made it were vastly more advanced than we thought. Yet at the same time, these ruins clearly dated back to pre-kingdom times, possibly even further. Which begs the question, how could such an ancient race create something so beautiful and elaborate? The door itself was at a slight angle, but that didn't seem to stop Jaune and Ren from pushing either panel open with a loud creaking sound, before it ended with a loud bang when they collided with the stone walls.

"Welcome to the start of our quest." Jaune joked, motioning in a grand manner to the open all walked in and Pyrrha grabbed one of his ears and dragged him in with her when she passed him. "Ow! Hey, hey, hey!" was the response she received.

Once my eyes adjusted to the change in light, I noticed that the broken pipes from outside carried through to the inside, except they weren't broken. Water droplets fell from the ceiling and crashed on the ground with a splash. Some vines clung to the walls, leaving groups of grassy patches where they touched the ground. A gentle glow lit the room. We looked for the source and found a ring hanging from the ceiling with a green fire in the center, almost like green plasma gripping the center of it. I looked for a power source, but was shocked that I couldn't find one. A few of us sat there in wonder, myself included, while others tried to push on without us. Those transfixed by the light came to their senses when they realized that they were being left behind. We, who were transfixed by the light, hurried after those who weren't once we saw they had left us behind. They were waiting by another brass colored door with ornate carvings emanating from the sides, mostly the bottom. Ren pushed the left side of the door open and Pyrrha pushed the other. We were then greeted by the sight of broken machinery. Cogs that were sticking out of the ground were slightly green and seasoned with cobwebs. Large gates that reached to the ceilings protected some cogs and pipes with vents facing the walkway. This was mirrored on both sides. On the right side, there was a ring-shaped piece of machinery sticking out next to a turn in the pipe, a faint blue glow emanating from the top of it. Jaune tried to open the gates, but found that they were locked. Yang stepped in front of him, cracked her knuckles and slammed the door with her fist, wrenching the two sides of the gates apart. Yang mocked the motion Jaune made when we entered the ruins, beckoning him inside. He walked up to the ring, touched the top and leapt backwards when the blue piece came off on a hinge and hung off the back.

"Did I break it?" He asked, fear staining his eyes.

"Go and look." Pyrrha replied.

With Pyrrha's encouragement, he gingerly stuck his hand inside and pulled out a fistful of differing objects. He held a garnet, some cogs, scrap brass colored metal and a pink gem that illuminated his hand.

"What is this thing?" He said as he pointed to the gem. We shook our heads because we didn't know more than him. I looked closer and saw that it was as long as his hand from tip to heel and half his hand in width.

"Can I hold it?" Ruby asked, bursting with anticipation about what it felt like to hold it.

"Sure." He handed it to her and her face glowed, both from the gem and from her excitement at holding it. She jumped when Nora said "Boo!" and grabbed both of her shoulders from behind her.

"Nora!" Ruby said exasperatedly, one hand clutched her chest, the other still holding the gem. "You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

"Let's keep going, shall we?" I say to the group, trying to get us back on task.  
We headed out again, following the machine clogged hallways and walking past and under the pipes that lined the walls. It was only when we reached an apparent workshop that something very strange happened. Loud banging rang out from the pipes on the walls. Everyone was different stages of scared.

"What should we do?" I ask.

"Pry it off?" Yang answered.

"I don't think that's the best idea…"Ren chimed in.

"How else are we going to know what's in there?" Pyrrha asked him.

"Do we have to find out what's in there?" Jaune interjected.

"It could be that new species of Grimm that we were sent here to take care of." Ruby answered, one hand on Crescent Rose.

"True, but how would we go about prying that vent open?" Ren said.

"I could smash it open." Nora offered, clutching Magnhild.

Pyrrha flung open Milo "I can use this." She offered.

"Pyrrha would actually pry it off, Nora would break the entire pipe." I think out loud.

"Pyrrha it is!" Yang exclaimed.

Pyrrha walked up to the pipe and rammed Milo in between the panel and the pipe. She started to work open the vent and pull it off. Jaune, mesmerized by the curiosity for what was in there, walked up and was staring into the, now opening, vent. Pyrrha finally wrenched off vent and stepped back, breathing heavily and looking proud of herself for wrenching it off.

"I wonder what's in there." Jaune comments, moving closer to the opening. We found out right away.

A spider-like robot leapt out of the vent and onto Jaune's face. Jaune threw it off with a _very_ girly scream. The spider-robot landed on the floor and "looked" at everyone. I didn't see any eyes, just a glowing orb. The spider-bot then leapt on Jaune and began crawling on him and scratching him. Nora leapt to action, as her weapon was the only one out, and smashed the spider-bot sending it and Jaune into the wall across the room. The spider-bot fell to pieces when it hit the wall, legs twitching and sparking as the power ran out. A pink gem rolled out of the head and came to a stop inches away from the robot. Jaune was completely out of it and needed Pyrrha's help to stand up. Ruby walked up to the gem and held it up next to her own.

"It's the same gem, this one is just bigger." She said, pointing to the one on the ground.

"Weird." Nora replied, looking over Ruby's shoulder.

Everyone looked warily to the pipe that still had banging noises in it.

"What if we walk past it and not disturb it. Would it stay in the pipe?" Ren asked.

"I guess so. It took a lot of work to get it off." Pyrrha answered, supporting Jaune's right side with her left.

"Let's move on then, just keep an eye out in case it does jump out at us." I warn them.

We walked with Yang and Ruby in the front, Jaune, Pyrrha, Weiss and myself in the middle with Ren and Nora in the rear. It was quiet except for the banging and Nora singing about her being the "queen of the creepy, ruined castle". The banging stopped after the vent was thrown off and another spider-bot, almost identical to the other, jumped out. Nora smashed it without hesitation. After we had already started moving again, Ren called out "Nora!" exasperatedly and Nora got up from her playing with the broken spider-bot.

We walked for a long time, passing room after room filled with broken machines. We fought countless spider-bots and sphere-fighter-bots, they roll up to you and spring out with a dagger and start attacking the instant the pop out, on our way to the center of operations. It was only after a long while that we reached a door with extremely exquisite carvings on it. We slowly opened the door and saw a massive room filled with rows upon rows of beautifully crafted bookshelves. The books themselves were ruined, but the room itself was incredibly well preserved, everything from the light fixtures to the smallest details on the stone chairs. After exploring the room for a bit, we came across a pedestal in the far back of the room. It had odd symbols on it, and looked like it had been pulled out of somewhere even more ancient than this. It was what on the pedestal itself though, that primarily caught our attention. A massive golden scroll, with rubies lining the wooden handles, sat atop the pedestal almost radiating with some type of energy. It had some kind of description on the pedestal, but it seemed to be nothing more than just a bunch of odd symbols.

Nora stared at it with a hunger in her eyes.

"I. Wanna. Touch." She says.

"Oh no you don't." Ren grabs her left arm and stops her from sprinting forward to touch it. "I'll check it out." He informs the group. Assent was murmured amongst our ranks.

Ren walked up to the podium and looked carefully at the scroll.

"It just looks like a normal scroll." He calls out.

"Open it and see what's inside." Jaune answers.

Ren grabbed a the end of the scroll and pulled it out. He looked towards the symbols and quickly looked back at us with a confused look on his face. Before we could ask any questions, we were blinded by a bright light and made deaf by a loud pulsating sound. I felt a strong tugging sensation in my chest that felt like I was a fish that got hooked and was being reeled in, except I couldn't move at all. I was in the exact position that I was in when I stood in the ruins. It was like I was frozen and moved somewhere else, and in an instant, I felt myself hit something hard, and I instantly blacked out.

* * *

 **/AN:**

 **Hey guys! Hope you enjoyed the first chapter. Now, I wasn't planning on uploading any of this until it was finished, but considering the fact that the story isn't even half way done, and I'm applying for a job, I decided to get this out now. So, here's how the uploading is going to work: Every time I complete a new chapter, I'll upload the next chapter on here. For example, I'm posting chapters 1 and 2 today. So when I finish the chapter I'm currently working on, I'll upload chapter 3. Now then, hope you enjoy the rest!**


	2. Dazed and Confused

**Chapter 2: Dazed and Confused**

 ** _Weiss's Perspective_**

I woke up with sharp pain in my right arm and head, laying on what seemed to be a bed of grass and leaves. I could barely move my body, but I somehow managed to lift my head just enough to see the scene around me. It was a massive evergreen forest, that stretched seemingly forever in all directions. Aside from the fact that I had no idea where I was, this place seemed very serene and calming. Just before I could slip into daydreaming, a slightly audible moan brought me back to reality, or at least what seemed to be reality. After straining myself to sit up, I saw Ruby, Blake, and Yang scattered amongst the forest floor not too far away from me. I made my way over to Yang, since she was the closest to me, and shook her a couple times to she if she was ok. Fortunately, she moaned and got up. She noticed how messed up her hair was and fell apart.

" _ **You've gotta be kidding me!**_ " She screamed, hair flaming and eyes red. While she was still raging, I walked over to wake up the other members. They were already up.

"Her hair got messed up?" Blake asked me.

"That it was. A single hair out of place." Ruby commented. We jumped when we heard a tree crash.

"Are you okay, Yang?" Ruby called out. Another tree fell in response.

"She isn't calm yet." Ruby whispers to us.

"I can see that." I agitatedly say to her.

"She'll calm down in a little bit." Ruby told us, ignoring my remark.

Once Yang calmed down, we started to head out, 20 trees left broken behind us. Ruby dashed ahead and was our scout. Yang hung in the back, so as to preserve her hair from getting messed up. I walked behind Blake, but not by much. I got my high-heels caught in mud, wet grass and moss. I had my combat skirt caught on branch after branch as we trekked through this unfamiliar forest. We all got down and hid when a roar cut through the calm in the forest. A loud boom echoed through the forest after we heard the roar. The sound of flapping wings was heard after the roar had stopped echoing. I looked up and caught glimpse of a very, _very_ large bird flying overhead.

"It's like a reptilian Nevermore." Blake comments. Yang and I nod, not knowing what else to say. Luckily we were saved of having to find something to say by a red flash.

"I-heard-the-roar-and-saw-the-Nevermore! Are you guys okay?" Ruby spoke in rapid-fire and I only caught a little bit of what she said.

"What?" Yang asked, confused as to what Ruby was saying. _She couldn't get it either._

"Did you not see the large bird?" Ruby asked, concern for her own mental state was evident.

"We saw it, don't worry." Blake assured her.

"We just didn't hear what you said, crater-face." I say to her.

"Well, I said that I heard the roar and saw the Nevermore and I wanted to know if you guys were okay." She told us.

"Ruby," Yang laughed "we're okay. We were just surprised by the roar." She told Ruby.

"Alright. I'm going to go scout again." And with that she disappeared in a red flash.

We started walking again not too long after Ruby left. Almost nothing changed with the quality of our walk. My high-heels kept getting stuck in the ground and my skirt kept getting caught on branches. It was a miserable walk. Everyone else seemed to be enjoying the walk. _They clearly don't know the struggles of being an heiress._ I got lost in thoughts about my own economic superiority to everyone else. In doing so, I never saw the red flash reappear.

"There's people up ahead. They were walking on a road." Ruby told us.

"Was there anything strange about them?" Yang asked.

"They were dressed weird. Like early kingdoms." Ruby explained. "Come on, I'll show you."

We walked after Ruby, then crouched when she did. We scanned for the people Ruby was talking about. I was seconds from getting mad at her for dragging us out here for nothing, then Ruby's hand reached out and pointed ahead. I looked and saw two men dressed in unusual garbs with iron longswords strapped to their sides. Their clothes was like someone made a tunic out of a potato sack. They had leather gauntlets and fur boots. And leather colored pants. _Gross._ I scoff at bad fashion, and this is a prime example. While I was critiquing their clothes, Ruby walked up to them.

"Excuse me, where are we?" She asked politely.

The one on the left looked at her weird and said "Where are we? We are in the Falkreath Hold. West of Helgen." He looked to his buddy, then back to Ruby. "Are you okay, miss? You're dressed weird and you don't know where you are. Are you from Cyrodiil?"

"Falkreath? Helgen? Cyrodiil?" Ruby asked, butchering the pronunciation of each.

The one on the right said "Let's take her to Helgen and turn her into the Legion. We'll probably get a reward for turning in a trespasser."

The one on the left responded with "Do you honestly think that the Legion will give us anything for her? If anything they'll accuse us for kidnapping her and execute us along with the Stormcloaks! For all we know, her parents are somewhere nearby looking for her."

The one on the right said "Hmm, you've got a point there. She's probably just messing with us anyway. Come on, we should hurry if we want to see the execution." The one on the left nodded and the two of them began walking away.

"Wait! What execution?" Ruby called out.

"The execution of Jarl Ulfric Stormcloak! If you want to see it, just follow this road and you'll be in Helgen in no time!" The one on the left called back as they hurried out of audible range.

Ruby ran back to where we were crouched and relayed what they had said, unbeknownst to her that we had heard it.

"Should we go to the Helgen place they talked about?" Ruby asked us.

"It seems like a good idea because it's a city and we might want a place to stay in for the night." Blake responded.

"Any objections?" Ruby asked.

"No.", "Nope." Yang, Blake and I said.

"Let's head out, then." Ruby said, disappearing once again in a red flash.

Yang and I groaned as we stood up and Blake stretched. Yang took the lead in our line and lead us along the road that would lead us to the town called "Helgen". It was a relief to not have my extremely expensive high-heels sink into the ground, instead they were scraping on the cobblestone roads of this weird place. It was slightly cold, even though it seemed to be autumn. I guess that's what would happen in an area ringed by large mountains. I looked towards a mountain that appeared to be towards the south and saw it reach extremely high towards the sky. Something told me that this was one of the shorter mountains. Yang was stopped up ahead and we looked to see why she had stopped. She stood before a sign that pointed to the different towns in the area. To the east was Helgen, but to the south west was Falkreath Hold.

"Should we keep going to Helgen? I think Falkreath Hold would be a bigger town." Blake asked us.

"We decided on Helgen, and Ruby already ran off." Yang responded.

"So what did you stop for?" I asked her.

"I couldn't read the names of the cities. The wood is really old, so it was hard to read from a distance." She responded.

"Helgen is to the east." I informed her. She nodded and continued on along the road.

She lead us along the road again and we continued to walk down the cobblestone paths. We passed a few cat-people that called themselves "Khajiit" and spoke in third person. We didn't have any of the "coin" that they wanted for their wares. Though "moon sugar" and "Skooma" sound like drugs. My high-heels were getting scratched up and those "Khajiit" faunus people didn't have any high-heels to sell me. When we had a city in sight, Ruby ran up to us.

"Those men guarding the gates told me that I had to be a resident to enter." Ruby pointed to men dressed in red and leather. _What's with all the leather?_

"Let's go talk to them, then." Yang said, walking to the men without waiting for us.

"Wait for us!" Ruby called, running after Yang.

When we showed up at the gates, the men there looked at us confused from our clothes.

"Halt! Only residents are allowed in and out of the town at this time. I suggest you move along." Said the one who appeared to be the commanding officer.

"We are lost and need a place to stay." Yang told them.

"Are you residents of Helgen?" The Captain asked.

"No." She replied and started to say something else, but was cut off.

"Then I cannot allow you four to enter. I suggest you head back down to Falkreath, or head north to Whiterun if you're looking for a place to stay." The Captain said, sternly.

"Let's go then." Yang told us, walking away.

We followed after her and once again headed down the cobblestone paths, this time heading to the south west towards Falkreath. However, a loud roar that seemingly cut through the air caused us to stop in our tracks.

"It's the Nevermore from before…" Ruby whispered. We all nodded, recognizing the roar from before. I looked back at the guards and saw them start to look uneasy, so that meant something is wrong.

We slipped off the road and hid in the bushes to wait and see if anything else happened. After about a minute or so, and hearing some yelling from the execution, the guards began to calm down. As soon as that happened, though, a second roar pierced through the air, this time louder than the first.

"There it is again…" Ruby whispered, a bit more nervously this time.

This time, the Nevermore came into view, and landed on one of the towers in the town. It sat there for a second, taking in the situation as the townspeople and guards began to freak out. Out of the chaos, we heard one woman's cry over everything else. "Dragon!".

"What's a dragon doing here?" Blake asked.

Before any of could respond the so-called dragon shot something out of it's mouth, which caused meteors to fall from the stars and crash unto this small town. Meteor after meteor fell and burnt this small town to the ground. Screaming from the families trapped inside washed over our ears and the only things we heard was the screaming and the fires. The soldiers we saw before led soldiers dressed like them out of Helgen and down the path we were standing on. After only a few minutes the city lay quiet, save the sound of fires. No more soldiers walked out of Helgen and no more families were screaming. Helgen was dead.

"Where do we go now?" Ruby asked, slightly frantically.

"North?" I offered.

"Why north?" Blake asked.

I pointed to the sign "There's a town called Riverwood to the north of here, and I think we should try to get away from this dragon." I told them.

"Let's go then." Yang said.

Ruby stuck with us this time, mainly because we should stick together incase of another dragon attack. Ruby and Blake walked in the front with me and Yang behind them. The second we stepped out of Helgen we noticed a ruin off in the distance. It was like it had a slanted roof, but the roof rotted away leaving the structure behind. But this was very far away.

The sun continued its ascent to the middle of the sky as we walked, and we heard wolves howling all around us once the remains of Helgen were out of sight. We got attacked a couple of times by passing wolf packs, which were quite weak. As soon as we began fending off the wolves, we realized that we needed supplies. I didn't think that there was dust in this place, so we would need to find a new set of weapons, or a dust substitute. Yang's gauntlets were out as a weapon because they were fully fueled by dust. Ruby's and Blake's were partially fueled by dust, so they just utilized their blades in an effort to conserve dust as much as possible. The thought of not being able to use their dust as freely as they used to didn't bother them too much, but it did make all of us slightly more nervous about this place than before. Thankfully, I don't have to share in their dust restriction, since all of the dust I'll need is imbued in Myrtenaster. Once we were sure that we were in the clear, we were finally able to take a moment to relax and asses the current situation. After a brief look around, Yang spotted a small grassy clearing that was slightly hidden away by the trees and rocks that wasn't too far from the road. We decided to take a small break in our journey to this "Riverwood" place, and made our way to the clearing that Yang found.

"So, what are we going to do about the dust shortage?" Yang asked.

"I don't have to worry about dust." I triumphantly said.

"Blake and I have blades, so we should be okay." Ruby commented.

Yang looked at everyone's weapons, her own included. "Alright, let's head out again."

"In around half an hour." Yang quickly added.

After our half an hour "break", more like a siesta, we walked again along the paths that ruined my shoes. We walked along the winding path that was said to lead us to the town called Riverwood. We saw several foxes scamper past us, almost as if they were looking for something. No more than five minutes later we saw a man dressed in blue and with leather armor, also he had an iron sword, walking a man in the same uniform to Riverwood. The first one had the same hair color as Jaune, but barely looked like him otherwise. The other had brown hair and bluish eyes.

"The one on the left kind of looks like Jaune." Yang comments.

"Speaking of Jaune, where's team JNPR?" Ruby asked, suddenly confused.

"You mean they weren't with us this entire time?" Blake asked, "I must just be in shock because I saw them with us."

"Are you okay, Blake?" Yang asked.

"I hope so." Blake responds, holding her head.

"Hello, there!" The guy in front of us called back.

"Uh, hi." I respond.

He paused for a second and looked us over, getting the same confused look that everyone else has gotten so far, but he shook it off quickly.

"Did you four happen to come from Helgen?" He asked.

"We weren't allowed in at the gates by the soldiers that were there, but yes we saw the dragon there." Yang explained.

The man's face hardened when Yang mentioned the soldiers. "Damn Imperial scum, can't even allow four young girls entry when a 'glorious moment in the history of the Empire' is taking place."

"What's the 'Empire' and the 'Imperials'?" Ruby asked.

The man looked at her confused. "You mean to tell me that you, as an inhabitant of Tamriel, don't know about the Empire or the Imperials that run it?" He finished his sentence nearly chuckling.

"Tamriel?" Blake asked.

The man stopped chuckling, realizing that we seriously had no idea what he's talking about.

"W-Well then, if you don't hail from Tamriel, then where do you hail from?" He asked, now confused and slightly concerned.

"We're from Remnant, more specifically the Kingdom of Vale." Blake said.

"Remnant..., Kingdom of Vale..., can't say I've heard of either of those places." He paused for a second to gather his thoughts. "I guess what I should be asking is how did you four get here?"

"We were looking through some ruins and we found a scroll that got really bright, then we ended up in Falkreath Hold." Ruby summarized.

"Hmm, that's interesting. Confusing, yet at the same time, that scroll you mentioned seems fairly familiar. Could you describe it?" He asked.

"Very ornate and adorned with gems." I explained.

"Was it large and covered in gold?" He asked, adding onto his original question.

"Yes." Blake responded.

"By the Nine..." He said, now in shock.

"What?" Ruby asked, confused.

"I'll explain that later, but how did you four come across an Elder Scroll?" He asked.

"It was in a ruin that had brass pipes and brass doors." Ruby told him.

"Dwarven? Now how did they get their hands on one of those?" He said more to himself than to us.

"Who are the Dwarves?" Yang asked.

"Look, I wish I could have the time to sit around and explain this to you four, but I have to stand watch and see if any more survivors make it from Helgen. My friend here is heading to Whiterun to inform Jarl Balgruuf about the dragons, if you're looking for a place to stay, I suggest you head there." He said, patting his friend on the shoulder a couple times.

"Do you mind us traveling with you?" Ruby asked the other guy.

"Not at all, I would be happy to escort you." The man said.

"Thank you." We all told him.

We walked north towards the town called "Whiterun", and the river that ran alongside Riverwood seemed to continue all the way to Whiterun. We walked around a corner and saw a massive city out in the distance. A very large building overshadowed the other small buildings.

"Do you know what that is?" I asked the man.

"That would be Dragonsreach, that's where the Jarl and his family lives, and where he governs Whiterun Hold from." The man said.

"Why's it called Dragonsreach?" Ruby asked him.

"If I remember correctly, it's because in ancient times a Jarl trapped a dragon there. If I remembered the name of the book I read it in, I would've told you." He said, in a very matter-of-factly fashion.

"Makes sense." Ruby responded.

We continued along the cobblestone roads and reached a bridge and a road that went past a meadery.

"Should we go across the bridge or past the meadery?" Yang asked, standing in front of the bridge.

"If you go across the bridge, you'll be heading straight for The Pale. So unless you want to head up to Dawnstar, I suggest we go past the meadery." The man said, motioning for us to keep walking.

None of us knew what Dawnstar was, so we followed him to Whiterun.

We walked past a stable that had a man that called himself "Bjorlam" who offered rides on his carriage to any major cities in Skyrim. _Whatever "Skyrim" is._ After a minute of walking through the fortifications around Whiterun's entrance, we finally saw the large wooden door on the front of it.

"Halt! The Jarl has closed off the city with the dragons about." The man was dressed in yellow with leather. His garb looked similar in make to the man-we-walked-with's garb. _Must be a common thing to wear horrible looking armor around here._

Blake was about to say something to the guard, but the man cut her off.

"Riverwood calls for the Jarl's aid." He said, sternly.

"And what about the four...girls that are accompanying you?" The guard asked.

"They were at Helgen when the dragon attacked, like me, and they seek sanctuary in Whiterun." The man said.

"Alright then, you may enter. But no funny business, or you'll be tossed right back out." The guard said, seemingly more to us than the man.

With that, the two guards stationed at the gate pushed it open, and we entered Whiterun.


	3. The Mage's Inquiry

**Chapter 3: The Mage's Inquiry**

 ** _Ruby's Perspective_**

We walked up the paths to the Dragonsreach building. Merchants and, seemingly, every passersby told us stuff like "I heard that they're reforming the Dawnguard in the old fort near Riften." and "If you're thirsty, go have some mead at the Bannered Mare." We passed a man who stood before a statue and said " _ **Talos the Mighty! Talos the Unerring! Talos the Unassailable! To you we give our praise!**_ _**We are but MAGGOTS, writhing in the filth of our own corruption!**_ " Weiss asked the man who he was.

"I'm not sure, all I can tell is that he's a priest of Talos." The man said, staring at the priest confusedly.

"Who are you?" I asked the priest after I broke away from the group.

"There are those who would wish to silence the dragon. But not I! Not Heimskr! His word shall be known!" He told me. "Are you here to be blessed by Talos?" He asked.

"Who is Talos?" I asked. He stared at me, uncomprehendingly and before he could give me a speech on Talos, Blake pulled me away by my hood.

"Come on, we have to go to Dragonsreach." She told me as she dragged me back to the group.

"Tell me about him later!" I called back to him.

We entered Dragonsreach and saw two large tables that held very good looking food. A fire crackled in the middle of them and lit up the room around it. The man we traveled with walked towards a man sitting in a large chair under, what I assume is, a dragon skull. A dark skinned man stood to his left and a gray skinned woman dressed in leather armor stood to his right. After a brief conversation at swordpoint, the woman let the man speak with the man in the chair. While they talked, I overheard things like "Should we still rely on the strength of our walls? Against a dragon?" and "My Lord, we should send troops to Riverwood at once." That last one sparked a whole separate side conversation about what sounded like some war, but it soon found its way back to dragons. The last thing I managed to hear was "Come, let us find Farengar, my court wizard. He's been looking into a matter related to these dragons and...rumors of dragons." After that, the man in the chair got up and began to lead the man we followed here to a room on our right. The man we followed here glanced over to us, signaling us to follow, so we did. The man who was in the chair quickly grew suspicious though.

"And who would these four be? Did they follow you here?" The man who was in the chair asked.

"Yes, Jarl Balgruuf. They were also at Helgen, and they seek refuge in Whiterun, for they currently have no place to stay." The man we traveled with said.

"Is this true? You four were also at Helgen?" Jarl Balgruuf asked.

"Yes. We were denied access at the gate, though. We were looking for a place to stay before it was attacked, and now we need a different place to stay." Blake explained.

"You were denied access? I know that the Imperials can be strict at times, but I would've never thought that they would close the town off completely. I suppose that you can stay at the Bannered Mare for a few nights free of charge, but that's all I can allow." Jarl Balgruuf said.

"Thank you very much!" We all told him.

"Now" He turned his attention away from us and back to the man. "as I was saying..." The two of them continued to talk until we reached the room. It was very spacious, the only things occupying the main space being some bookshelves, a large desk, and a large map with a lot of markings on it.

"Just wait out here, I'll be done in a minute." The man said before continuing inside with Jarl Balgruuf. They began speaking with a black robed man who we assumed was this "Farengar" person Jarl Balgruuf mentioned. Jarl Balgruuf soon left the two of them to speak, which didn't last all that long. Before parting ways with Farengar, the man pointed to us and whispered something to him. The man then walked out of the room and back to us.

"I have to go retrieve something for Farengar over there, so I'll be gone for a while. Keep safe and out of trouble, okay?" The man said.

"We will." Yang responded.

"Talos guide you." Was the last thing he said before he walked out of Dragonsreach.

"Good luck!" I called after him.

It was silent for a moment after that, we were just left there waiting for him to come back. We had just began to shoot confused glances at each other when Farengar called out to us. "You four! Come here! I would like to have a word with you."

We walked in. "What do you need from us?" I asked him.

"I would like to know more about how you arrived in Skyrim, your friend told me some very interesting things that piqued my interest." He said, sitting down at his chair.

"What did he say?" Yang asked him, slowly and with concern for what could happen.

"Don't look so afraid! I just want to ask a few questions." He was chuckling for a few seconds after that, once he composed himself, he continued. "Now, your friend told me everything that you told him, and I would like to confirm what he said with what you experienced."

"Alright." Yang said for us.

"So, you four were exploring some Dwarven ruins in a place you call Vale, correct?" Farengar asked.

"That's true." Yang confirmed.

"And in these ruins, you four came across an Elder Scroll, which upon opening, sent you here?" Farengar asked.

"We were with a second group of four, but they didn't arrive with us." Blake told him.

"Hmm, that could be an issue. If they haven't emerged from the time stream yet, who knows how long they'll be in there." Farengar mumbled to himself before focusing on us again. "We can worry about that later, so could you please answer my original question?"

"There was an old, ornate scroll on a pedestal. If it's called an Elder Scroll, then yes." I told him.

"Do you by chance have the scroll with you?" He asked.

"No. One person from the second group was the one who opened the scroll." I informed him.

"Damn, that's a shame. It would've made for a great resource, not to mention an amazing addition to my collection." Farengar mumbled to himself before continuing. "Anyway, while I would love to keep helping you with this, I'm afraid I lack the resources to do so."

"Is it possible for us to go back?" I asked him, feeling concern for Zwei.

"I'm not sure, though I think I know of a place that can help you more." Farengar said, going into thought.

"Where is that?" Weiss asked, suddenly interested in the conversation.

"The College of Winterhold, located in, well, Winterhold." Farengar said.

"What kind of college is the College of Winterhold?" Weiss asked him. _She probably wants to get a degree at an expensive college just to show that she could._

"It's a mage's college, and one of the most well known in Tamriel I might add." Farengar said.

"Are they accepting students?" Weiss asked. _Here we go..._

"I'm not sure, but if you want to know more about the Elder Scroll, they're the ones that'll have what you need." He said.

"I think that's where we need to go then." Yang commented.

"Indeed, just talk to Bjorlam at the stables and he'll take you there. For a small fee, of course." Farengar said.

We looked at each other. "I don't think we have the kind of money that is used here." I informed Farengar.

"You mean to tell me that you don't have a single Septim on you?" Farengar asked.

"What's a Septim?" Yang asked.

His face grimaced slightly, but he calmed down fairly quick. "Fine, wait here a moment." He then quickly got up and went back into what looked like his quarters. Not a moment later, he came back out with a small orange bag. "This should cover the fee, just give this to Bjorlam and tell him you want to go to Winterhold."

Weiss greedily grabbed the bag before any of us could react. "Thank you very much!" We told Farengar. "I will pay you back when I make some money." I told him.

"Only if you insist, now run along now, I have important research to conduct." Farengar said, quickly going back to his notes.

We ran down to the stables to get on the carriage to Winterhold. A guard stopped us and told us to stop running. As soon as he turned around and walked past us, we ran again. We reached the stables after only a half a minute run. I spotted Bjorlam and ran up to him.

"Need a ride?" Bjorlam asked.

"We want to go to Winterhold, please." Yang told him where we wanted to go.

"That'll be 50 Septim's." Bjorlam said.

Weiss handed him the orange bag reluctantly.

"Climb in back and we'll be off." Bjorlam said, motioning to the back of the carriage.

We climbed into the back of the carriage, me and Yang on the right side, and Weiss and Blake on the left side. After Bjorlam got the horse moving, we began our journey to Winterhold, wherever that is. We had just gotten past the meadery when Bjorlam spoke up again.

"Anything you'd like to know about Winterhold? Or Skyrim in general?" He asked.

"Yes, everything!" Yang exclaimed causing Bjorlam to visibly cringe.

"Well, let's see. Where to start…" Bjorlam said, going deep into thought.

Bjorlam summarized the history of Tamriel, to the best of his ability, from the Third Era to the Fourth Era. He asked us if we knew the year, we said we didn't. He informed us that it was 201 in the Fourth Era.

"And in the most recent history, Jarl Ulfric Stormcloak of Windhelm started an uprising against the Empire. He claims to be High King after fairly defeating Torygg, the now dead king. However, the Empire and its supporters claim that Ulfric murdered the man, and that he has no claim to the throne. Not only that, but Ulfric supports free Talos worship, which was banned by the Empire after the Great War." Bjorlam said, taking a quick second to catch his breath.

"Why is Talos worship banned?" I asked.

"When the Aldmeri Dominion defeated the Empire in the Great War, one of the points that was put into the White Gold Concordat was a ban on Talos worship, because the Thalmor don't see him as a divine." Bjorlam said.

"Who even is Talos?" Yang asked.

"To summarize, he was a mortal man who conquered all of Tamriel, and began the Third Era, along with the Septim Dynasty. He is considered the Hero-God of Mankind, and to top it all of, he was Dragonborn. Trained by the Greybeards in High Hrothgar atop the Throat of the World. From birth to death, Talos was a truly incredible man." Bjorlam said.

"And why don't the Aldmeri Dominion think he is a god?" I asked.

"In truth, most of the Aldmeri Dominion doesn't care, but it's the Thalmor that are against it. They're a radical sect of the Aldmeri Dominion that believe in full elven supremacy, so the thought of a man ascending to divinity is an insult to them. And so, when the emperor at the time refused peaceful recognition of the Thalmor's demands, the Great War broke out." Bjorlam said.

"The Thalmor don't seem like nice people." I commented.

Bjorlam continued to explain Skyrim's and Tamriel's history as the carriage ride dragged on _forever_. The grassy plains of Whiterun had long since vanished and were replaced with a snow covered forest. We passed what seemed like a ruin of sorts a while ago, I think, it was hard to tell. We had just exited the forest and began to go along a bumpy road, still covered in snow. I looked up the hill and noticed a tower that looked very similar to the ruined one we saw before this whole thing started. Apparently my staring had caught everyone else's attention, and they all looked at the tower as well.

"What's that tower up there?" Blake asked.

"I don't know the name, but if I recall, it connects to a larger ruin further north." Bjorlam said, going back to his previous explanation not a second after.

The ride then continued on its incredibly boring pace, the only thing of interest that we passed was a cave that had some white haired creature guarding the entrance. That is, until we saw some type of fort in the distance.

"What's that up ahead?" Yang asked.

"That's Fort Kastav, an old fort abandoned long ago. Well, I say abandoned, but it's currently home to a group of Necromancers." Bjorlam said.

"That's pleasant." Yang said sarcastically.

"I've heard rumors about the Stormcloaks wanting to capture the fort, but as far as I can tell, it hasn't happened just yet." Bjorlam said as we approached the fort.

"Who are the Stormcloaks?" I asked.

"Were you not paying attention earlier? They're Ulfric _Stormcloak's_ soldiers, and the driving force behind the _Stormcloak_ rebellion." Bjorlam said, putting emphasis on every mention of the Stormcloaks.

"Oh, I get it. His last name is Stormcloak and his rebellion is called the Stormcloak Rebellion. I got it." I reply.

Bjorlam gave a small sigh of relief before focusing back on the road. Neither the Necromancers or the _creepy_ skeletons paid attention to us as we went by. Though we all got the chills as we went by that fort. After that, the ride was back to its very boring pace. The snow had kicked up, making all of us cold, yet Bjorlam seemed to be unaffected. Once we turned the corner and got back onto some even road, a very large structure appeared in the distance.

"What's that up there?" I asked.

"That would be the College of Winterhold." Bjorlam said. Weiss sat so far forward in her seat that she almost fell out of it. After hitting a bump in the road, she finally fell.

"Keep yourself seated back there, this terrain isn't as even as the plains of Whiterun, watch yourself." Bjorlam said, paying little mind to Weiss. Weiss picked herself back up, blushing furiously the whole time. She held her chin high in defiance of the teasing that was not there.

"Glad to see that you are okay." Blake said.

The ride was short from that point, and it was almost a literal straight shot to the city. After only a few minutes, the gates were in view, and Weiss grew more excited the closer we got. When we reached the gates, Bjorlam stopped and let us out, wishing us luck on our future travels before he left for Whiterun.

As soon as she got off the cart, Weiss bolted off to the College of Winterhold, leaving us behind her.

"I expected as much." Blake said, staring at the snow Weiss kicked up.

"I am not surprised either." Yang and I agreed.

We walked after Weiss at a much slower pace. After a minute's walk, we walked past a broken house. Everyone in town seemed to ignore it, so that's what we did. We reached the town's center and decided to rest for a moment. We had the college in sight and we were tired from our long journey from Whiterun. However, at that moment, the ground shook, we heard thunder and then came the weirdest thing I have ever heard in my life. " _ **DOVAH-KIIN!"**_ echoed throughout the land, seemingly across the entire country if it was that loud. The once empty streets of Winterhold soon filled with it's citizens and guards, all of them mumbling to themselves. The two words that kept appearing in these mumbles were "Greybeards" and "Dragonborn". We were as confused as they were.

"What do you think that wa-" Yang was cut of by Weiss running up and shouting at us.

"I-was-about-to-get-into-the-college-when-I-heard-that-loud-thing-and-got-scared!" She shouted, in a severe state of panic.

"It's okay, Weiss. Just don't run off without us next time." Yang says to her, laughing at Weiss panicking.

"Shall we continue on to the college?" Blake asked.

"What about the voice-thing that just happened?" I asked, pointing to the sky.

"Let's ask the person who runs the college about it." Yang told me.

We set off again to the college and walked past the citizens who clogged the streets, panicking like Weiss was. We arrived at a bridge with a woman standing at the entrance.

"Oh you're back." She looked at us, "And you brought friends."

"Hi." Yang waved. I waved. Blake's bow twitched.

"I told you once before and I'll tell you again. Unless you can cast the Magelight spell, I can't allow you to enter." The woman said, staring at Weiss.

"We aren't here to try and enter your college." Blake told her.

"Everyone but her." Yang said, pointing at Weiss.

"Even if you aren't trying to enroll, you still need to prove you have some arcane knowledge to enter. So unless any of you can cast Magelight, I can't allow you to enter. Or, if you have the coin, I can sell you the spell tome for it." The woman said.

"How's this?" Yang asked her, shooting a ball of fire out of her gauntlets towards the woman, missing her head by a few inches.

"Well, at least one of you has some arcane knowledge. Follow me, I'll open the gates." The woman said, starting her walk across the bridge.

"I'll go tell the headmaster-dude-chick about what happened to us." Yang told us from over her shoulder.

"Try not to fall behind." The woman called back, and with that, Yang shot right next to her as they continued across the bridge.

"Do you want to go ask someone if they want a job done, so we can make some money?" Blake asked us, while watching Yang and the woman enter the college.

"Can't hurt." I reply. Weiss was not covered in snow, unlike the rest of us, mainly because she was so angry that she must've melted it all off. _Ironic that the Ice Queen would melt snow!_ I left Blake and Weiss behind and went to talk to a guard.

"Let me guess, someone took your sweetroll?" The guard mockingly asked me when I walked up to him.

"What's a sweetroll?" I asked him.

The guard sighed. "Enough of your childish games, what do you want?"

"Is there any jobs my friends and I can do?" I asked him.

He gave it a moment of thought before responding. "Go talk to Jarl Korir up in the longhouse, he'll have something for you to do."

"Thank you." I said as I ran back to Weiss and Blake, who were looking for me.

"Oh, there you are." Blake said when I reached them.

"I asked that guard over there if we could get a job. He told me to ask the Jarl." I told them.

I looked at Weiss and Blake before knocking on the door of the longhouse, as specified by the guard. The door was thrown open and we walked in hesitantly. I saw the Jarl lounging on a chair, his shoulder adorned with furs and his forehead covered with a tiara. _Is that customary for guys here?_

"Hello, sir, we were wondering if you had any jobs that needed to be done?" I asked him.

"Hmm? And what could you three young girls hope to get done around here?" Jarl Korir said and asked, clearly not in a good mood.

I opened up Crescent Rose and smashed it on the ground. "We just need some money." I said to him, politely.

The guards in the longhouse immediately unsheathed their weapons, now very much on edge. Jarl Korir nearly jumped out of his throne when I slammed Crescent Rose into the floor.

"M-My apologies, I'm not exactly in the best mood right now." Jarl Korir said, whilst making a hand motion that caused the guards to lower their weapons. "Winterhold has lost much of its history, and with that much of its power. I aim to change that."

"What is it that you are offering for us to do?" I asked him, putting away Crescent Rose.

"I've heard rumors of the final resting place of the Helm of Winterhold, the very same helm that Jarl Hanse wore in the First Era. Hanse was in line to be High King of Skyrim, you know. Having that might get the ear of the other Holds and give me some authority." Jarl Korir said.

"How much are you going to give us for its return?" Blake asked before I could.

"Depending on how well you do the job, it'll vary. But I assure you, it'll be worth your while." Jarl Korir said.

"All right. We will be back with the Helm of Winterhold before you even realize we left." I said to him as we walked out of the door.

"Hold on! I didn't even tell you where to look yet!" Jarl Korir called after us.

"Right…" I said, stopping with my hand on the door handle.

"Rumor has it that the helm is located at Yngvild, a nordic barrow just west of here. It's located on a large island, it's quite hard to miss." Jarl Korir said.

"Okay. Anything else I should know before I walk out?" I ask nervously, not wanting to repeat what happened earlier.

"Try to keep warm out there, based off what you're wearing I'm surprised you haven't freezed to death yet." Jarl Korir said.

"It is quite cold out." I say, shivering in spite of me.

We walked out of town and down the road that ran behind the Jarl's longhouse. The snow and wind buffeted me to the point where I was almost thrown off the road numerous times. We marched down the road to the coast. We found refuge behind a stone that the wind blowed over. I looked at the map the the Jarl gave me, while Weiss complained about the cold.

"This light jacket is not enough to keep out this cold. I demand that I get a heavier jacket." She complained.

"Well, aren't you the Ice Queen? Shouldn't you control the cold to make other people want heavier jackets?" Blake joked, while shivering.

"J-Just because I am called the Ice Q-Queen doesn't mean that I am used to the cold! It just m-means that I can control ice!" Weiss snapped back, her body shivering so hard it made her stutter.

"We're cold too, Weiss." I told her, not even looking up from my map.

"Well, I'm more important than you two!" She shouted.

"In what way?" I asked her, once again not even looking up from the map.

Weiss was shivering too heavily to respond.

"Let's get moving again. I know which way we are going now." I told them, putting away my map.

They groaned when we got up, but got moving willingly. We set off again, this time along the coast. The wind wasn't as bad on the coast, so we weren't as potentially hypothermic. Weiss continually whined about the cold, but after Blake tripped her, causing her to fall face first in the snow, she stopped. The walk seemed like an eternity, so when I saw the island the barrow was housed in, I was grateful. I stopped walking to look for a way across. Weiss and Blake walked past.

"Hey, wait! This is the place!" I shouted after them while pointing at the island. They turned around slowly and walked back.

"Is it seriously on an island? Why can't it be on land?" Weiss shouted at the ground.

"More important question: how are we going to get across?" Blake asked.

"Swim?" I asked meekly.

"Oh, no. No no." Weiss said defiantly. She proceeded to set up a glyph beneath myself and Blake. We were thrown across the water and into a snowdrift on the island.

" _That_ is how we will get across!" Weiss shouted as she flew at us. She, however, landed on her feet. Sadly, more snow fell on Blake and I when she landed.

"Let's go." She told us. I barely heard Blake's muffled response from under the snow. We shoved our way out, now colder than we were before.

" _Let's go._ " Weiss says, more forcefully.

"We're coming. We're coming." I say to her.

After getting up and readjusting ourselves, we headed for a set of stone arches that lead uphill. Considering how long ago these were built, I'm surprised that they're still standing, especially in these _horrible_ conditions. We eventually reached a cave that had two large pillars, carved into the shape of a bird, on either side.

"You sure this is the place?" Weiss asked, unenthusiastically.

"According to the map it is, now come on, let's go get that helmet." I said, stepping into the cave entrance.

Meanwhile Blake was dragging Weiss behind her, with Weiss shooting complaints left and right about going into a cave and being dragged into said cave. Normally I wouldn't be so adamant about going into a cave/barrow/thing either, but if it gets us a step closer to going home, I'm all for it.

* * *

 **/AN: Sup guys? Probably weren't expecting another chapter this early, were you? Well, the day I posted chapters 1 and 2, my friends and I finished the chapter we had been working on. So I decided to upload this chapter today, instead of making you guys wait. Anyway, not sure how long it's going to be until we complete the chapter we're currently working on, so hang tight!**


	4. Of Ghouls and Ghosts

**Chapter 4: Of Ghouls and Ghosts**

 ** _Ruby's Perspective_**

The first thing I saw when I walked in was ice. Ice. Ice everywhere. Ice on the floor, the ceiling and the walls. I noticed a black stone tub-looking poking out of the ice. I pointed it out to Weiss and Blake. They didn't know more than me. We kept walking past skeletal hands and torsos. We saw skulls and more stuff like the tub that I saw earlier.

We turned the corner and Blake's hand shoots out and stops us. I go to ask her what's wrong, but she had her pointer-finger resting on her lips. When Weiss and I nodded, showing that we were going to stay quiet, she moved the finger on her lips to point at a figure walking around in the hall ahead of us. I looked at the hall and saw wood on the ceiling that was supported by other pieces of wood on the walls. I then looked to Weiss. She had her hands covering her mouth and her eyes showed fear. I turned my head and my eyes located the figure. I saw very old armor, very old swords and bows, and most importantly: deathly gray, tight, yet wrinkly, skin and bright blue eyes, almost glowing. Wait, the eyes _are_ glowing. The figure was mumbling in a language I have never heard before. When he spoke it, I felt the power of a language long forgotten. It pulled at my gut and reinforced just how old this… this _thing_ was.

"Do we attack it?" I whispered to Blake.

"That seems to be the only thing we _can_ do." Blake whispered back.

"I'll go center, Weiss you go right. Blake, I am going to need you to go left. Hopefully we can flank him and take him down fast." I whispered to them, pointing in the directions I wanted them to go to. They nodded in response.

"Okay, let's go take this thing down." I told them, bumping fists with both of them.

I leapt up and ran towards the _thing_. It turned its glowing blue eyes to face me, raising its decaying longsword to meet my attack. Before he attacked, an arrow arched over him, landing in front of me. The arrow, much like the other things in this cave, was very decayed and appeared to be on its last leg, in terms of strength. The _thing_ shouted "Sovngarde saraan!" and lifted its left hand. It shot some kind of material out. Or was it a substance? It struck my right shoulder and suddenly everything was very cold. The thing it was shooting was ice. _Oh goodie! More ice!_ I felt my legs move more sluggishly than before I was hit by the ice. _Was this the Arcane magic the woman in front of the college was talking about?_ I whipped out Crescent Rose and swung her towards the _thing_. It caught him in the upper-left shoulder to lower-neck area. He crumpled onto the floor, glowing eyes seemingly leaving a trail of electric blue in the air. I knew he was dead when he hit the floor because his eyes no longer glowed. The eyes, that just moments before was bright blue, was a dull grey that looked more lifeless than its already-dead body. Another arrow arched down and hit my chest, but it bounced off. I looked at my chest to see what blocked it. It was the ice that the _thing_ shot at me. Blake closed in on the archer, that I assume was farther in the hall. I heard a momentary sound of battle before Blake screamed and scrambled back to where I was crouching.

"There's a ghost." She said, her face pale and eyes as big as my magazines.

"There's no such thing as ghosts." I said to her, stifling a laugh.

"Then what gave me this?" She asked, pointing to a rip in her clothes and a splatter of blood around the torn edges. I gawked at the tear.

"Are you sure it wasn't from the archer you fought?" I said, trying to rule it off with an uneasy laugh. She simply shook her head. Before I could reply I heard someone say "You shouldn't have come here!" I looked to where it came from and saw a blue, clear figure running up to Blake and I.

"Ghosts _are_ real." I said, jumping up and swinging Crescent Rose at the ghost. I was shocked to feel severe resistance from the strike.

"Weiss!" I called out after I knocked the ghost to the floor.

Weiss flew down from wherever she was hiding. She jammed her sword through the ghost's chest. _If they are ghosts, are their body parts still named like they were when they were alive?_ After stabbing, Weiss glyphed out and back to where she was before. I went to call Blake, but saw that she was fighting with another ghost. I told Weiss to help Blake and I as best she could. She responded by flying in and stabbing the ghost Blake was fighting. The first ghost had closed the gap between us and stabbed with her dagger at my abdomen. I twisted my body to avoid the attack and struck her with the blade at the bottom of Crescent Rose. The ghost, which I just realized was a woman, was staggered by my attack, which opened her up for a strike from the large blade of Crescent Rose. It struck her, but this time went through her. She dissolved into light, leaving behind a pile of ash and a steel dagger. I looked at Blake and saw her standing before a pile of ash as well.

"That was…" Blake tried to find words to express what just happened, "interesting." She decided.

"Who'd have thought that we'd find ghosts and really old dudes in this place?" I asked them.

"I certainly didn't." Weiss commented.

"Ruby, you are covered in snow." Blake told me, just now noticing.

"Indeed you are." Weiss confirmed.

I didn't even have to look down to know what they were talking about.

"Yeah, it came from the first old dude. That's the stuff that he was shooting from his hand. Strangely, it slowed me down a lot and I tired faster." I informed them.

"Could it be the same Arcane stuff that one woman tried to make me do to get into the college?" Weiss asked herself more than us.

"Maybe. But we need to keep moving. That helm isn't going to transport itself to the Jarl's feet." Blake responded.

Blake walked in the front of the group as we walked farther into the weird cave that we entered. The ice dissolved into half ice, half stone and old artifacts. I was walking when something crunched and cracked, sending my right foot to the floor. I picked up my right foot and looked down at what cracked. It was a skull. _Where did these skeletons come from?_ We turned a corner and saw another old dude. This one looked stronger than the one we saw before. He seemed to have a little more armor and held himself higher, whereas the other slouched. It was the same plan of attack as before; Blake on the left, myself center and Weiss on the right. He seemed to see Blake first and shot the ice at her, opening him up to an attack from Crescent Rose. I was stopped by two ghosts. Weiss flew in and killed one, and I slashed the other, thus producing two flashes of light and two glowing piles of ash. I looked up and saw that the old dude was still kicking, so I slammed him with the business end of Crescent Rose. He crumpled to the ground with his blue eyes leaving the trail that the other did.

"Are you alright, Blake?" I asked Blake, not even looking at her.

"Not really." She responds.

"Why?" I asked her, now looking at her. "Oh." She was covered in the ice that the old dude shot at her, and she was walking extremely slowly towards us.

"I couldn't move out of the way after I first got hit…" She trailed off, too embarrassed to continue.

"Let's just stick close to here and wait for Blake to thaw out." I told Weiss.

The ice thawed out rather quickly, considering the sheer amount that the one old dude hit her with. We came across a room with two chambers off to the left, and one leading straight forward. Blake snuck around the corner of the first room, but quickly turned back.

"More ghosts and old dudes, seemed like a dead end as well." Blake said, relieved.

"Alright then, let's keep moving." Weiss said, still partially in shock.

Blake quickly moved in and out of the second room as well, informing us that it too was a dead end. According to her, the only things of possible interest in that room were some ornate urns. I decided to go look for myself, and right next to an old stone coffin thing were two urns. I opened the one on the right with extreme caution, in fear that it might break, to find that it was empty. After closing it, I moved to the left, and found a bottle with string wrapped around the top of it, filled with some type of red liquid. I checked the label on the front, and it read "Potion of Healing". I quickly tossed it to Blake, who almost dropped it out of confusion.

"What's this?" She asked.

"Read the front of it." I said, plainly.

She read the front and her eyes lit up, but at the same time, a look of concern grew on her face.

"You sure this is safe?" She asked.

I was about to respond before Weiss cut me off.

"It says 'Potion of Healing' right there! How could it not be safe!" Weiss said, raising her voice slightly before quickly lowering it again.

At that point, Blake shrugged and hesitantly drank the potion until the bottle was empty. As soon as she dropped the bottle, she was enveloped in trails of light that circled her slowly, whilst giving off a yellowish glow. When the light cleared, the cut and blood that was present before was completely gone. Me and Weiss looked in awe as the wound that was clearly present before simply vanished. We quickly got over it and began moving forward again, while Weiss was muttering about how we should stock up on as many of those as possible. Quite a good plan, if you ask me.

After exiting the side room, we turned quickly into the next room. We immediately noticed a pillar stretching from the ceiling to the floor, with what looked like the two sides of a broken bridge on the pillar itself and where we were standing.

"Great, now what?" Weiss asked.

"Maybe if you actually looked around, you'd notice that we didn't need the bridge anyway." Blake said, pointing to the path that winded downwards towards the floor.

We stuck close to the wall as we moved our way down the path, being careful to not bump into each other. After we made it down, we noticed a chest tucked away in a corner behind us.

"What do you think's inside?" I ask.

"I don't know, could be anything, considering how strange this world is." Weiss said, yet I could tell by her voice that she was hoping for an item of value. Blake slipped past both of us and opened the chest while we continued to speculate. She came back with an odd assortment of items. She had a pouch of 15 gold coins, some green gem (probably an emerald), a scroll that had weird symbols written on it, and an ornate yet crude green bow that was the same size if not larger than Myrtenaster. Weiss went for the gold, and fell face first into the snow when Blake sidestepped.

"I hope you guys don't mind, but I'll be holding onto this stuff for now, for safe keeping." Blake said, more to Weiss than me.

Once Weiss stood back up, we kept moving forward into the tunnel that was in front of us. After making both a right and a left turn, we noticed a table off to the side of the tunnel. I moved over to investigate, and found an axe that looked like it was used to chop wood, another incomprehensible scroll, and a small red book. I began to flip through the book, and I immediately threw it across the room towards Weiss and Blake, whilst doing my best to tell them not to read it through hand gestures. That didn't work though, and they both reacted the same way I did, and chucked it back at me before moving to where I was.

"Ok, that Jarl guy never mentioned anything about a necromancer. And he _especially_ didn't mention anything about a necromancer who's a necrophiliac!" Weiss said, still disgusted.

"That necromancer, Arondil, seems to have been here awhile, considering that he keeps track of the days. Do you think there are more of these somewhere?" Blake asked.

"I don't know, and I _especially_ don't care. Let's just get that helmet and get out of here." Weiss said.

Weiss started to move up the tunnel and into the room ahead when she quickly scurried back to us in a panic.

"There-are-two-old-guys-and-two-ghosts-in-that-room!" She said, whisper-shouting.

"Alright, calm down, we got this." I said, giving her a thumbs up.

The old-dead-dudes walked from around a bend in the tunnel and noticed us right-off-the-bat. "Qiilaan us dilon!" The one that had more armor shouted at us. At, seemingly, the same time that the old-dude shouted in his old language, one of the ghosts shouted "You shouldn't have come here!" whilst swinging her translucent dagger towards the person closest to her -that being Weiss- and promptly missed as it was dodgeable.

"Do what we did last time!" I called out to Blake and Weiss, causing them to scatter to their battle positions.

Blake was to my left and Weiss was somewhere above both of us. Blake was facing the old-dude assault, whereas I got the ghost-ladies. They stood in a column-like formation with the one who attacked first standing behind the other. She then raised her arm and ran towards me, throwing her arm forward in an attempt to cut me. I blocked her strike with the lower half of Crescent Rose, staggering her. I swung the blade of Crescent Rose at her upper-body in response. I was shocked again by the hardness that her body held when I struck her. She fell to one knee saying "I yield! I yield!", so I turned my attention to her friend, who was already in her dagger-in-the-air attacking position. I turned the lower part of Crescent Rose to catch her body during the strike. She didn't seem to notice the movement, so she ran right into the blade, skewering her on the spot. She looked at the wound, and then at me. She looked deathly afraid and shocked. Before she could say anything, she dissolved into the bright light and ashes that seems to happen when you kill ghosts here. I didn't have time to stare at the ashes, because the one who yielded stood up off the ground and nearly lost her balance in doing so. "I'll rip you apart!" she shouted at me. A silver blade protruded from her chest before she could even raise her dagger. Weiss came into view after the bright light dissipated.

"Got her." She commented, before glyphing off to God-knows-where.

Blake jogged over right as Weiss left.

"Those dudes were a piece of salmon." She joked.

"I think you mean 'cake'." I responded.

Her face screwed up in confusion. "What did I say?" She asked.

"Salmon." Weiss said from the rafters.

"Whatever, let's just keep moving." Blake told us, hiding her blushing.

We made our way through the room, and after finding another desk with another red book on it, we came across an iron door with an ornate carving of a bird on it. Weiss wasn't happy about it for some reason.

"Come on! We have to go even deeper?" She complained.

"This just means were one step closer to getting the helmet, now come on." Blake said, once again dragging Weiss through the doorway by her collar.

Once we all got through the doorway, we noticed that most of the ice had cleared on the walls and revealed what remained of the barrow. Incredibly well designed stone walls with wooden supports to keep them stable, covered in some sort of circular or wavy pattern. These walls didn't last long though, as they soon gave way to another icy tunnel. What we saw on the other end of the tunnel, took our breath away. We saw a large room, mostly rocks and ice, but the back wall was made of the same stone that we just passed. A set of stairs lead to a throne that sat in between two pillars that supported the roof. The throne was occupied by what appeared to be Arondil, and he had a ghost standing next to him. There was a tunnel off to the left, most likely the way out, and a doorway behind them a bit to the right, most likely where the helmet is.

"You shouldn't have come here!" he shouted at us we entered. Before we could split up, he sent out a large crystal that was steaming. It slammed into Weiss's shoulder and stuck there.

"It's cold!" She screamed in pain. _Go figure, the Ice Queen getting struck by ice._

We fell into chaos after that. I charged at the dude and Blake went after his ghost-lady-friend. He charged up another icebolt-thing and threw it at me. I swung Crescent Rose like helicopter blades and shattered it. "Impossible." he commented after I broke his icebolt. "Possible." I say to him while I slash him with Crescent Rose. He used his left hand to use some kind of magic. It sent out white-yellow smoke that trailed around him, much like the kind that came from the potion of healing that Blake drank. I slashed him again and he stopped healing himself with magic. He instead shot another icebolt. It hit me in my chest. I gasped from the cold and the pain. I grinned at the thought that he might think that this would stop me. I let out a strangled gasp that was supposed to be a laugh and swung Crescent Rose at him again. It caught him in between his shoulder and head causing his head to jerk to his right, throwing him to the ground. He forced himself to his feet and met my blade once again upon standing. He fell flat onto his face in a small flash of light. _Does everything flash when it dies here?_ He never stood up again.

"You guys ok?" Blake asked, panting.

"Yeah, I think so." I say, looking at the spot where one of those ice spike things was, wondering how I would get it out.

"Hmm...where's Wei-"Blake paused before yelling "Weiss! Show some respect for the dead!"

Weiss, who I just noticed wasn't next to us, was off searching Arondil's body.

"Oh come on, show respect for this creep? Besides, he could have something useful on him." After a moment's pause, she held up a key "See? I bet this will come in handy later."

"Fine, let's keep going then." Blake said, moving to the doorway.

We pushed the iron door open and two things immediately caught our attention. The first was a large, ornate wood and metal chest that was practically right in front of us, and the second was a bed that had a ghost sleeping in it. Not only that, the bed had many red flowers scattered around it. That Arondil guy really was sick. Blake quickly moved to the bed and plunged Gambol Shroud into what should have been its heart, and it quickly faded into the same blue ash pile as the others. We then turned our attention to the chest, which had a red and gold staff with some type of blue gem on top of it placed next to it.

"That helmet has got to be in there." I said, pointing to the chest.

"Only one way to find out." Blake said, moving quickly to the chest as to block Weiss from it. And after a moment of rummaging around, she pulled out a steel helmet that had two horns on either side, and chainmail around where someone's neck would be. The helmet was open, so you would be able to see the person's face, and it had a spike sticking out from the top of it.

"This was the only helmet in there, so I guess this is it." Blake said.

"Great! Now we can finally get out of here!" Weiss said, relieved.

"What else was in there?" I asked.

"Not much, about 200 of those 'Septim' coins, this purple book with whatever this symbol is on it, this…" She paused as she picked up an axe that had a gold handle, but the blades and pommel were made of some type of green, slightly transparent crystal like material. "axe that has a blue glow to it, and these gold colored gauntlets."

"Well, I'll take that staff and the book." Weiss said, grabbing both not a second later.

"Hey! Shouldn't we wait until we get out of here to divide stuff up evenly?" Blake said and asked.

"I'm sorry, were either of you planning on getting either of these?" Weiss asked.

Neither of us responded.

"See? Now what's in this book…" She said, moving over to the table, taking a seat in the chair.

Me and Blake were discussing how to divide the rest of the stuff when Weiss said "Found another of that guy's journals."

"Just toss it over here." I said, and I got smacked in the face by the book not a second later.

"Hey! No fair! I didn't understand any of it!" Weiss yelled.

"What happened now?" Blake asked.

"I opened that book, read all the pages, and it vanished! The only part that made sense was the title."

"And that was?" I asked.

"'Summon Flame Atronach' or something like that." Weiss said.

Me and Weiss continued to discuss the book and how it vanished when Blake interrupted us. "We should probably be going." With that, we exited the room and went to the tunnel that was now on our right. After turning the corner we saw a lever on the wall, and as we walked over to it, we noticed an iron gate.

"Think that this opens the gate?" I asked, pointing to the lever.

"Pull it and find out." Weiss said.

After forcing the lever upwards, the gate opened, allowing us to enter a room with an iron door. Once we took a look at the ground though, we were horrified to see three dead women lying on the ground.

"So this is where he put the bodies…" I said, barely able to get words out.

"This place gets more disturbing by the minute, can we please go now?" Weiss asked.

"Well, we aren't going this way." Blake said, pointing to the door.

"Why not?" Weiss and I asked.

"It's locked, can't get it open." Blake said.

"Locked you say?" Weiss asked with a grin on her face, moving to the door. She then pulled out the key that she got off Arondil's body, and used it to unlock the door.

"Ta da!" She said, clearly proud of herself.

Blake and I ignored her and passed her, which made her quite mad. We then began ascending a spiral wooden staircase that eventually lead to an iron door. After pushing it open, we found ourselves in another mostly stone room, with a passageway leading forward. After following it and turning the corner, we came to a wall with a lever on it. I shot a questioning glance to Blake and Weiss before forcing it upwards. Once I did, a panel in the wall in front of us moved towards us slightly before sinking into the ground. When we exited into the room, we were surprised to see that we ended up in the room where I found that healing potion. From there, we simply walked out of Yngvild. When we emerged, it was well into the night. We decided to divide the rest of the gear in the morning, and headed back to Winterhold. When we got back, we stopped by the inn, the Frozen Hearth, and got a room for the night. Thankfully it was only 10 coins, or '10 gold' as the barkeeper, Dagur, put it. We played rock, paper, scissors for the bed, which Blake won. Me and Weiss slept on the pelt rugs that were on the floor. Not the best way to get sleep, but it was nice to finally lay down and rest.

After we woke up and ate a small breakfast, we headed right across the road to the Jarl's Longhouse with the helmet. We were a mix of excited and nervous, I guess that's reasonable when you go to talk to a figure of great power. When we walked in, however, he seemed to be having an argument with his steward.

"But My Lord, if they end up being what rumor says they are, they could…" The gray skinned steward stopped talking when we walked in, and simply walked off into one of the rooms on the side.

"Ah! You've returned! Do you have the Helm?" Jarl Korir asked.

"Yep! Here you go." I said, handing it to him.

"Can you believe that this hold used to contend for the throne of High King? Now perhaps others will listen. Here, your reward as promised. You have Winterhold's thanks." Jarl Korir said, taking the helmet and handing us multiple bags of coins.

"A few things before we go, first of all, how much did you give us? And secondly, you never mentioned anything about ghosts, old blue eyed dudes, or a necromancer." Weiss said asked.

"The original reward was 1000 Septims, and each of those bags contains 250 Septims. As for the second part, I'm sorry I neglected to mention the Draugr, they tend to populate old barrows like that." Jarl Korir said.

"Draugr?" I asked.

"Aye. Ancient nords cursed with undeath for their service to the dragons in the old times. And as for the ghosts and the necromancer, I myself was unaware of them, so I couldn't have warned you." Jarl Korir said.

"It's ok, we just wanted to make sure you knew." Blake said.

"Wait, why did you give us four bags if there are only three of us?" Weiss asked.

"I thought it would be easier to split it into four bags so you three and your friend don't have to worry about splitting it later." Jarl Korir said.

"Wait, our friend?" We all asked.

"Not too long after you three left, the blonde woman sleeping on that chair upstairs" He pointed to the upper level, and we all saw Yang casually sleeping on a chair. "came by looking for you. I explained that I sent you to retrieve the Helm of Winterhold, and I told her that she could stay until you got back."

The three of us rushed upstairs, hoping that Yang found out how we could get home. I shook her violently, and after a minute or two, she woke up with a "Sup?".

"Did you find out anything on how we got here and how we can get back?" Blake asked.

"Ah...funny story about that actually." Yang said, nervously laughing.

We all looked at her in a mix of nervousness and anger, mostly nervousness. After a long and agonizing silence, Weiss was the first speak.

"Well, what happened?" She asked.

"Well, it didn't take them long to realize that I didn't make the fireball, and my gauntlets did. After that, they told me that 'The magic is in the weapon, not you.', then they threw me out." Yang said, defeated.

"Well great, now how are we supposed to get home? I asked, angered and defeated.

"If I may interrupt for a moment, I have a question to ask you four." Jarl Korir asked, calling to us from his throne. We immediately made our way downstairs to see what he wanted.

"You four...you're not from Tamriel are you?" He asked, sternly.

We all exchanged nervous glances before I asked him "How did you know?"

"Aside from the difference in clothes, weapons, and speech? There's a rumor spreading around that you four appeared in Skyrim, supposedly through an Elder Scroll, the same day the dragons returned. While I think of it as nothing more, there are those who wouldn't think that that's a mere coincidence." Jarl Korir said.

"That was only a day ago, how could that spread so fast?" Blake asked.

"Important or strange news tends to spread fast around here, if you haven't noticed." Jarl Korir said.

"What does this mean though? Why are you telling us this?" Weiss asked, confused.

"While I don't mind your presence, as I've seen that you four are kind hearted women, others might not be so easily accepting. Be cautious on your future travels. Of course, you're always welcome here in Winterhold." Jarl Korir said.

With that, we left the Jarl's Longhouse, and began to plan our next move.

"So, where to now?" I asked.

We all went into thought as I pulled out my map. We each tossed ideas back and forth, trying to think of a place that could possible hold the knowledge we seek. Weiss was staying quiet the whole time, though.

"Weiss? What's wrong?" I ask.

"Well, I was thinking...that um...I could…" She kept mumbling and trailed off eventually.

"Weiss? What are you trying to say?" Yang asked, slightly nervous.

"I was thinking that I could stay here, and try to get into that college again." She said.

Me, Blake, and Yang's jaws dropped. After something like this, we should be trying our best to stay together, not split up. After seeing that the three of us weren't going to respond, she spoke up.

"Look, after I read that purple book, something changed. I'm not sure exactly what, but I feel _different_ on the inside. I know I can make it in this time." Weiss said, confidently.

"Then we can just stay here, with you." I said.

"No, you can't. I'm not sure how long it's going to take for me to figure this stuff out, and I don't want you guys stuck in an inn the entire time." Weiss said.

"Teams don't split up, they stick together through thick and thin, we're not leaving you alone here." I said.

"Think about it like this then, while I'm here trying to find a way back home, you guys can be out trying to understand what this 'Skyrim' place has to offer. I would only be a day or two away at most, and if you really get lonely, just message me on my scro-...just send me a letter." Weiss said.

The three of us looked at each other before Yang asked Weiss "Are you sure you want to do this?". Weiss responded with a simple nod. After that, we all gave Weiss a hug before she headed off to the college.

We waited by the Jarl's Longhouse while Weiss went up and took the test. After a couple of moments of the two talking, Weiss, well, _summoned_ something. She waved to us and walked down the path to the college. We agreed that she was fine and began to discuss where we were heading to.

"Well, where's the closest stables?" Blake asked.

"In a city called Windhelm, southeast of here" I said, pointing at it on the map.

"Let's get going then, we can decide where to go from there." Yang said.

And with that, we began our journey to Windhelm, it just didn't feel the same without Weiss, though.

* * *

 **/AN: Hey guys! So I have a bit of possibly bad news. I recently got hired at the place I applied to, so depending on my work schedule, the time between chapters may increase slightly. But hey, considering how fast and efficient my friends are, it shouldn't be too noticeable. So just hang tight and enjoy!**


	5. The Wolf's Shadow

**Chapter 5: The Wolf's Shadow**

 ** _Yang's Perspective_**

Even though it was early in the morning, you could barely tell the difference because of the snowstorm. After only a few minutes of walking, Winterhold vanished from our sight, and we could only see the snow covered road in front of us, and outlines of the distant mountains. The wind whipped past us at blistering speeds, trying hinder to slow our already slow journey even more. After a few minutes, we saw a faint light in the distance, and we rushed towards it. To our dismay, it was only the light from a torch a guard was using to see through the storm. Ruby quickly checked our map, and we realized that the mine we were at wasn't that far from Winterhold, which dampened our spirits slightly. We kept walking, and after a while came across a fairly odd cave. Well, it would've been perfectly normal if it didn't have human hip bones on sticks outside of it.

"I-I d-don't even want to know w-what's in t-there." Ruby said, still shivering.

"Y-You and m-me both." I said.

The snowstorm began to fade, and we began walking uphill for a minute after that. Once we got on level ground though, we froze in place as we saw that fort from yesterday. " _That's Fort Kastav, an old fort abandoned long ago. Well, I say abandoned, but it's currently home to a group of Necromancers."_ The description that Bjorlam gave us rang in my mind, and I am certain that the others remembered it. I scanned over what we could see of the fort, which was only a small section of the wall and a wooden sentry tower. My heart stopped when I focused on the sentry tower. A skeleton stood, bow in hand, scanning the area for intruders from the top of the tower. We quickly moved to the trees on the right for cover, as to try to prevent the skeleton from seeing us. I peeked my head out of our crouched position, and saw the skeleton take out an arrow and draw its bow, _in our direction_. But right before it shoot at us, it turned its back to us and fired. At that moment, cires such as "For Skyrim!" and "Victory, or Sovngarde!" filled the air. Not a moment later, we could hear steel clashing against steel, and what sounded like fire, lightning, and ice magic being thrown around. The once quiet fort had erupted into utter chaos, and the skeleton that was standing atop the tower was now a pile of bones scattered around the ground.

"Now's our chance!" Blake whisper shouted.

"Right, lets go." I said.

We tried our best to sneak past the battle, staying as far into the limited and small brush as possible. As we snuck by, I noticed that the men attacking the fort were in the same blue and leather armor as the guys from Riverwood. " _I've heard rumors about the Stormcloaks wanting to capture the fort, but as far as I can tell, it hasn't happened just yet."_ I wonder if those two things are connected. After staying in the brush and hiding behind rocks for another few minutes, the fort was and battle were behind us, and we continued on our way.

As soon as we walked past the fort and down the hill, we noticed a river running underneath a mountain. I looked up at the mountain, while Ruby and Blake gawked at the river, and saw a fort of some kind perched near the pinnacle.

"Huh, pretty fort." I comment.

"What? Where?" Ruby asked, while she and Blake cursorily glanced near the river. I giggled as they looked everywhere.

"Not by the river! On the mountain!" I joke.

"I see it!" Ruby and Blake said at the same time. Ruby was looking at the one I saw, however Blake was looking further down the mountain chain. I looked where she was looking and saw a different one than I saw. The one I saw was more like three separate columns and the one she saw was a large building with multiple columns in it.

"There's two…" I say in disbelief.

"Two?" Ruby asked uncomprehendingly.

"Yeah, look over there!" I said, pointing to the one Blake found. Ruby's mouth dropped when she saw where I was pointing.

"What are those things?" She asked, still in disbelief.

"I don't know, but let's remember these so we can check them out later." I answer her.

"Anyways, we have somewhere to go to." I inform them.

We walked further down the path and stared at the river and the sunlight that sparkled on the top of the water like little balls of light. The water rushed along the path it dug with vigor, save the parts of the water that sat and froze. The water that splashed up around the rocks that lay in the river caught my attention. A splashing noise that didn't come from the river assaulted my ears.

"The water is so cold!" Ruby shouted from the edge of the river. She had stuck her feet in and the splashing was from when she had slipped.

"Ruby, what are you doing in the water?" I asked her, in a mock motherly tone.

"Well, I'm not alone." She told me, pointing to Blake gingerly sticking her hand, or rather pinky, in the water. I laughed.

"Blake, what's with the hesitation?" I laughingly asked her.

"It's -meow- cold!" She meowed.

"Did you just meow?" I questioned her with severe confusion.

"Yes. Meow." She meowed again.

"I think you should get your hands out of the water." I joked.

"I'm going to." She told me. She sat up and upon standing, lost her balance and fell in the water.

"Meow!" She shouted when her head surfaced. "I don't know how to swim!" She told us.

"I got her!" Ruby told me, as I was preparing to dive in and get her. Ruby walked up to Blake and told her that the water there was shallow; the water only came up to Ruby's knees. Blake stood up with shame written on her face and inlaid in her eyes, the part where the water was shallow and she told us she couldn't swim left a major blow in her ego.

"Hopefully there's some way for you to dry off at Windhelm. But, we have to get there first." I told them, Blake mostly.

Ruby walked back to where she got in and put on her shoes, which were sitting on the shore. Ruby nodded to me, showing that she was ready to go. Blake tried to nod, sneezed, then nodded again. We walked only 10 feet before we saw something odd on the left side of the path. Six stone towers were lined up in a circular fashion around a ditch that seemed to be dug haphazardly.

"Any idea as to what this is for?" I asked Ruby and Blake.

"It might've held those," Ruby paused and tried to remember a word, "'Draugr' things."

"But how many Draugr?" Blake asked.

"I don't think a single Draugr could've made this." Ruby told Blake.

"Wait. Hold on." I said, causing Ruby and Blake to look at me.

"What's a Draugr?" I asked them.

"It's like a really old, wrinkly dude, but they are like alive. We found them when we were getting the Helm of Winterhold for the Jarl." Ruby told me.

"Well, the Draugr are more like a very old person that died, but never decayed so they have really old weapons and really old armor and they speak a really old language." Blake explained.

"They sound fun." I comment. "Let's keep going, we are almost there."

We walked down the down-slope that led to the bridge that went next to a very pretty waterfall. Within minutes of crossing the bridge we heard the whinny of horses and saw a man who sat on a carriage, much like Bjorlam did. As we walked towards the man sitting on the carriage, I realized that it wasn't Bjorlam.

"Looking for a ride? I'll take you to any of the hold capitals." The man said to us.

"I want to go to Riften, please." Blake told the man.

"Okay, that'll be-" The man was cut off by me.

"Are you sure you want to go to Riften, Blake?" I asked Blake.

She nodded. "Yes, I overheard at the inn that you can make easy money in Riften, and we're kind of short on that front." She told me, her sincere tone made me listen more.

"Keep in touch, then." I tell her, after a long pause.

"Excuse me, ma'am, but where do you want to go?" The man asked.

"My sister and I want to go to Whiterun." I inform him.

"I can drop you both off on the way to taking her," he pointed to Blake, "to Riften." He said.

"But you will both have to pay for a full journey." He said after a pause.

"How much?" Blake and I asked.

"50 septims for the two going to Whiterun and 20 septims for the lady going to Riften." He said to us.

"Alright." Blake said as we reached for our coin pouches. Ruby and I split our bill and Blake paid hers.

"Okay. Hop in the back and I'll take you three. By the way, I am Alfarinn, nice to meet you all." He said, smiling.

On the ride we passed many mountains, but one stood out above all the others, it loomed over the land with an ominous feeling about it. I asked Alfarinn what the mountain was called. "That there, is the Throat of the World. It is the tallest mountain in Skyrim, and probably in all of Tamriel." He told us front of the carriage. He later told us that the mountain housed the Greybeards. These men, according to Alfarinn, could tear a man apart just by speaking and that they rarely left their house, called "High Hrothgar". I wanted to meet said Greybeards, but Alfarinn said that only the "Dragonborn" could meet them.

It didn't feel like that long after we left that I saw the large building that was Dragonsreach. We thanked Alfarinn and gave a large hug to Blake before we headed into the large wooden doors of Whiterun.

Ruby and I walked down the main street and stopped in the market square.

"What should we do?" I asked Ruby.

"I don't know." She said, shrugging.

A guard walked by us saying, "You should join the Companions, if you are looking for some work."

"Where are the Companions?" Ruby asked the guard.

"Over in the mead hall of Jorrvaskr." He replied, pointing to an upside-down boat that was converted into a building.

We turned to thank him, but he was already far down the street, wait, just why exactly did he tell us this in the first place?

"Let's go there, then." I told Ruby.

"Yeah, let's." She replied.

I pushed open the doors and saw a large table weighed down by the mountains of food and mead that sat on them.

"Take that!" Some girl yelled after hitting and gray-skinned man.

"Are they at it again?" A man asked as he walked past the fight.

"Is that your best?" The gray-skinned man taunted the girl. She responded by pounding his head in with a massive blow.

"Take him out!" Ruby shouted, waving her fist in the air in support.

After only a few more hits, the gray-skinned man fell to his knees shouting: "I yield! I yield!"

"Great job!" Ruby shouted to the girl who beat the man.

One of the men came up to us and asked "And what are you two fine ladies doing here?"

"We want to join the Companions." Ruby told him excitedly.

"It's not my place to decide whether or not you get in, but" He paused to check me out "I'd let you in if I was the leader." He said.

"And who _is_ the leader?" I asked hotly.

"I'll tell you if you do me a favo-" He was cut off by another man that came up and started screaming at him.

"Farkas! What in the name of Talos are you doing?!" He screamed, drawing the attention of everyone in the main room.

"I was just-" he hiccupped "checking out the ladies." He said to the man.

"I think you've had one too many meads. Skjor! Take him to his room, please. I'll talk to these two women." He ordered and walked up to us. He waited for the man who first talked to us to get dragged to his room before speaking with us.

"I am so very sorry for my younger brother's actions. Is there anything I can help you with?" He asked us politely.

"We just wanted to join the Companions." I told him, being as straightforward as I could.

"Ah, I wish I could help you directly, but I can't decide who gets in. Follow me, I will show you to Kodlak." He told us, motioning for us to follow. We walked across the floor and over to a stairwell that led to the quarters. We heard the man who first talked to us telling the man who dragged him here that he wasn't drunk, but the second man had none of it. "Just shut up, and go to sleep, Farkas." He said angrily.

"Don't worry about my kid-brother Farkas, he'll be nicer after he is no longer drunk." The man told us.

"Here is Kodlak's room." The man announced, showing us a door. "I'll go in first and let him know that you are here, then I'll tell you when you can come in." He told us, as he entered. He talked with the man named Kodlak for a minute or two, then motioned for us to come in.

"Ah, so these are the two ladies that Farkas...had some trouble with. It's a pleasure to meet you. oh, and sorry." Kodlak said.

"Don't worry about it, I dealt with that all the time in my school." I told him and Ruby nodded.

"Come to think of it, would you two happen to be the outworlders that we've been hearing so much about?" The other man asked.

"Vilkas! Where are your manners? Can your questions not wait until after I'm done?" Kodlak said.

"My apologies." Vilkas said.

"We are, in fact those 'outworlders' that you have heard about." Ruby told him.

"Well then, the Companions are honored to have you two in Jorrvaskr. Now then, what exactly are you here for?" Kodlak asked.

"We want to join the Companions." I told him, relaxed by his manners and way of speaking.

"Really now, here, let me have a look at the two of you." He said, staring intently.

I instinctively covered my breasts, and Ruby grabbed Crescent Rose.

"Oh please! No need to be alarmed, I'm no Farkas after all." Kodlak said.

"To better explain, he's not looking at you, he's looking _inside_ you. He does this to judge your spirit and character." Vilkas said.

"Oh, alright then." I said, once again relaxing.

Kodlak then continued to stare at us, moving back and forth, analyzing seemingly every detail about us. Something about his gaze seemed a bit, _off_ though, as if he was looking through me, and not at me. Kind of like what Vilkas said.

"Ah, yes. The two of you are easily warriors by nature." He paused before looking at me. "Tell me, miss, how are you in battle?"

"However hard you knock me, I'll hit you back harder." I told him.

"Ha! I like your spirit. Now then, I see that you've already met Vilkas." He paused and gestured to the chair across from his. "He will determine whether or not you can back those words up."

"I'm ready when you are." I jokingly threatened Vilkas.

"What about me?" Ruby asked Kodlak.

"Ah yes, if Vilkas can still hold a sword after he's finished with…" Kodlak trailed off, not knowing how to address me.

"Yang." I said.

"Thank you. If he can still hold a sword after he's done with Yang, he'll test you as well. Now then, out to the yard with you three." Kodlak said.

"Aye, let's not waste any time." Vilkas said, already leaving the room.

We followed Vilkas back through the quarters and back up the stairs to the main area. It was more subdued the second time around. 'Course there was a lack of drunken brawls and a drunk Farkas. Vilkas went through a door that we didn't go through before. We found ourselves standing in a training area, with tables that were also ladened down with food. I noticed targets that were for archery at numerous places around the training area. As I looked at the targets, I noticed a large hill that was lit up very brightly at the top.

"Hey, Vilkas." I said to Vilkas.

"What is it?" He asked casually.

"What's up there?" I asked him.

"Ah. That's the Skyforge. Best forge in Skyrim, in most people's opinions." He said, pride poking through his voice. "Eorlund Gray-Mane, the man who runs the Skyforge, gives weapons to the Companions as well." He informed us. "It's good having the best of the best giving you weapons." He said in an offhand manner.

"Enough chit-chat. Let's get down to business." He said, pulling out his sword.

I opened up gauntlets up, even though I wasn't going to use the dust aspect of it, and prepped them for battle. "Let's see what you've got." Vilkas called out to me. He held his sword high and swung it towards me. I sidestepped the swing, seeing as he was using a heavy greatsword and was slower than if he was using just a normal single-handed sword. After side-stepping, I punched him on his left shoulder, staggering him. I then punched him in the chest, knocking him flat on the ground.

"Ok. That's enough." Vilkas said to me. I offered him a hand up and pulled him to his feet.

"That was damn good fighting there." He praised me. "Only two punches to knock me down? Not many people can say that."

"Anyways, are you ready to fight, miss?" Vilkas asked Ruby before I could thank him for his praise.

Ruby opened up Crescent Rose and slammed it on the ground. "Of course I'm ready to fight." She said, like it was obvious. Vilkas was visibly shaken by the fact that this little girl could wield such a large weapon, but he shook it off. He took out his sword and geared up for a fight.

"Let's see what you've got." He said, uneasiness present in his voice.

Ruby smirked and swung Crescent Rose with the non-blade side going first. Vilkas held his sword up to block, but was knocked over. He quickly hopped up. "Not yet!" He said in defiance. He charged Ruby, putting her in a bad position because it was close-quarters combat and Ruby's scythe is mid-range. Ruby didn't hesitate when Vilkas prepped a sword swing. She moved Crescent Rose behind Vilkas' legs and knocked him to the ground _again_. Vilkas tried to jump up again, but Ruby poked him with the front of Crescent Rose, knocking him back down.

"That's enough." Vilkas said, out of breath. "That… that was some good fighting. I can't imagine what would happen if I was hit by the blade…" He said, eyeing the large blade on Crescent Rose.

"It'd hurt a lot." Ruby said plainly, stroking the shaft of Crescent Rose.

"Remember that when you're out in the wilds." Vilkas paused to get himself up. "Now then, I believe you two will make fine additions to the Companions."

"Thank you!" Ruby and I said in unison.

"However, just because you're outworlders, doesn't mean that you'll be getting any special attention or treatment. You're both New Bloods, and you will do as we say." Vilkas said, sternly.

"I never wanted any special attention or treatment because I am an 'outworlder'." Ruby told him seriously.

"Good. Now then, I want you two to take my sword up to Eorlund Gray-Mane up at the Skyforge to have it sharpened. It's getting late, so you should hurry up there if you want to catch him before he heads home for the night." Vilkas said, holding out an iron sword.

"Got it." I said, taking the sword from his hands. "Let's go, Ruby." I said to Ruby.

"Okay, Yang." She replied.

I jogged over to the stairs that led to the Skyforge and walked up them with Ruby. We went up and around for less than a minute before arriving. Instantly, I saw the set up for a blacksmith, but on top of a lava pit. I saw an old man sharpening a sword. _This must be Eorlund Gray-Mane._ "He puts the _Gray_ in Gray-Mane." Ruby whispered to me. I laughed so loud that he looked up with confusion and asked who we were.

"I'm Yang, I am here to have Vilkas' sword sharpened." I told him.

"I'm guessing that you two are the newcomers then?" Eorlund said, taking Vilkas' sword.

"Yes. We just got told we were part of the Companions a second ago." Ruby told him, excitement at being with the Companions evident in her voice.

"Ah, and two of the four outworlders at that. The Companions really know how to recruit newcomers, even if they are a bit hard on them at first." Eorlund said, putting Vilkas' sword of to the side.

"How'd you know we were the outworlders?" Ruby asked before I could.

"Aside from your looks, weapons, and clothing? Things like this tend to travel fast in Skyrim. Also, if I recall, this isn't your first visit to Whiterun, correct?" Eorlund said.

"I guess that's true." I said to him, laughing a little.

"Dragons returning, a Dragonborn being revealed, four outworlders arrive, all in the matter of a day. It's quite astonishing to think that all of this is happening so fast…" Eorlund said, more to himself than us.

We nodded in response as we watched him sharpen the sword with relative ease.

"Just quickly, before you go, I have a favor to ask." Eorlund said, whilst working.

"What is it?" I asked him, suddenly curious.

"I've been working on a shield for Aela. My wife is in mourning and I need to get back to her soon. I'd be much obliged if you could take this to Aela for me." Eorlund said.

"Of course I can." Ruby said, holding her hands out to receive the shield.

"Based on the time, she should be in her room in Jorrvaskr, so hurry on back now." Eorlund said.

"Alright, thank you for sharpening the sword." Ruby said to him.

"No problem, I'll deliver this to Vilkas tomorrow, so you should be on your way." Eorlund said.

"Ok." I told him, walking back down the stairs, but not before Ruby and I waved goodbye.

We walked back into Jorrvaskr and went to the quarters like we were told to. We asked the lady who cleaned the place where Aela's room was and she pointed us towards it. While walking to where her room was, we noticed tables on either side of the wall covered in food. _Do they just crap out food here or what?_ The door for Aela's room was in sight so Ruby prepared to give her the shield. We opened the door and walked in on a conversation.

"Now Skjor, when Farkas wakes up I want you to… Oh, sorry, I didn't realize you two walked in." She said, focusing on us.

"We just came to give you your shield back from Eorlund." Ruby told her, holding out the shield.

"Ah, good. I've been waiting for this." She said while taking the shield.

"You know these two? I saw them training in the yard with Vilkas." Skjor said.

"Ah yes, I heard you took him down with two punches! We're never going to let him live that one down." Aela said, looking at me.

"Don't let Vilkas catch you saying that." Skjor said.

"Tell me, do you two think you could take him in a real fight?" Aela asked.

"However hard he hits me, I'll hit him back harder. Yeah, I can take him in a fight." I said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"And how about you, little one?" Aela asked, pointing to Ruby.

"Maybe. It'd be hard, but I think I could hold him off." Ruby said humbly.

"Good, I like the fire in both of you. You'll both make fierce Companions, let us hunt together sometime." Aela said.

"Sounds like fun!" Ruby said, smiling. I just held a thumbs-up.

"Now normally Farkas would show you to where you'll be staying. But since he's...done in for the night, Skjor here will show you two to where the New Bloods stay." Aela said, gesturing to Skjor.

"Alright." I said, showing that I, and Ruby, had no problem with that.

"Skjor, if you will?" Aela asked.

"Yeah, yeah I know. Follow me you two." Skjor said, exiting the room.

"Ok." Ruby said, following him, with me right behind her.

After a moment's walk, he showed us to a large room with eight beds, then pointed out the two beds that we would sleep on.

"Here you are, probably not what you're used to, but it's the best the New Bloods get. If you have any questions or if you're looking for work, don't hesitate to ask." Skjor said.

"Ok. Thank you." I said and Ruby parroted.

"Now it's getting late, so get some rest." Skjor said, exiting the room.

"Goodnight." Ruby and I said, laying in the beds, falling asleep right as our heads hit the pillows.

* * *

 **/AN: Sup Guys! It's been a while, hasn't it? Now then, this chapter wasn't supposed to be released until after the chapter my friends and I are currently working on is finished, but considering how long it's taking to complete (we're putting in _a_ _lot_ of detail)** , **I decided to upload this chapter early to sate your guys' appetite. Now then, chapter 6 will go live once the current chapter is complete, so hold on until then. In the meantime, please enjoy!**


	6. A Magic College in a Cold Land

**Chapter 6: A Magic College in a Cold Land**

 ** _Weiss's Perspective_**

I walked up to the stairs that led to the college with the encouraging words of my teammates ringing in my ears. " _You can't possibly fail twice!"_ That was enough to make me want to break Yang's arms. I reached the woman who stood at the entrance to the walkway to the school and prepared myself for a failure that may or may not come.

"Welcome to the Coll… Oh, it's you again." The woman said, clearly not happy to see me again.

"I can do magic this time." I told her with my head held high, as per the usual.

"Oh? Can you now, we'll see about that. Since you seem so confident, how about make things a little different this time." She said, grinning.

"In what way?" I ask, now suddenly concerned.

"Well, based on the way you're speaking, a simple spell such as Magelight must be far too simple for someone like you. So instead, let's have you conjure a Flame Atronach on the seal right here." She said, pointing to the seal on the floor.

"No problem." I say to her with the same tone as before. _Thank Talos that I found that book in that cave._ I thought about the book and the seal on the ground while I balled my fist. Within a second it glowed purple, which freaked me out so I threw it open at the seal on the ground. A bright red, floating girl that seemed to be made of lava suddenly appeared in front of us.

"Well then, perhaps I misjudged you. You are now permitted entrance into the College of Winterhold. Oh, and my name is Faralda, I teach Destruction magic here at the college." Faralda said.

"Pleasure to meet you. My name is Weiss." I told her.

"Now then, please follow me to the main gates, and try not to fall behind." Faralda said.

"Yes ma'am." I said to her, forcing the polite tone. We walked down the path and she began to tell me about the college.

"So the College itself isn't all too large, but you'll find it more accommodating than most places in Skyrim. The main hall, or the Hall of the Elements, is primarily where you'll find students practicing magic. Speaking of which, how familiar are you with the five schools of magic?" Faralda asked.

"Not very. I'm new here." I told her, keeping the forced polite tone.

"Well, that's plainly obvious. But based on your performance back there, you're more adept than most natives are, so you shouldn't have too many problems." Faralda said.

"That sounds fantastic." I say, smiling at the praise.

"Now then, you'll be staying in the Hall of Attainment, which is located in the left tower of the college when facing the entrance. The Hall of Countenance is in the right tower of the college, and is where all the teachers reside." Faralda said.

I sighed in relief at the thought of having a bed.

"And if you ever need to research anything, the Arcanaeum should have whatever book you're looking for. You can access it from the Hall of the Elements by entering the door on the left." Faralda said.

I paid close attention because this is where I would have to look to research those "Elder Scrolls".

"It's run by Urag gro-Shub, and he's very picky about the order of things. As long as you don't mess up anything in there, you should be fine." Faralda said.

"Thank you for the tip." I respond.

We walked up to a very large gate that loomed over the walkway. Instinctively, I reached my hands out to open it. It seemed to respond to us walking up, and opened, leaving me with my hands held out for nothing. Faralda giggled at me not knowing about the gate, causing me to blush with anger.

"Now then, Mirabelle Ervine, our Master Wizard, should be able to answer any more questions you have. She's standing by the entrance over there." Faralda said, pointing to a brown haired woman standing by a set of large wooden doors.

I walked over to her and said "Faralda told me to talk to you. I'm new here." I said, politely.

"Ah, pardon me, this is a bit unexpected." She took a moment to seemingly go over pre-rehearsed lines in her head before continuing. "My name is Mirabelle Ervine, I'm the Master Wizard here at the College, and you are?"

"Weiss Schnee, pleased to make your acquaintance." I said with forced politeness.

"If you had put more thought into that tone of yours, It would've been somewhat believable." Mirabelle said, a slight harshness present in her tone.

I was thrown back by the fact that she saw through my, seemingly, impregnable façade.

"I'm sorry. Let me try again. I'm Weiss Schnee. It's a pleasure to meet you." I say to her with, mostly, genuine politeness.

"The pleasure is mine, and for future reference, you should stave away from such obvious attempts at forced tones. There are people all around Tamriel who live and breath speechcraft, and I can clearly tell that you aren't one of them." Mirabelle said, with a mixture of politeness and sternness.

"Yes ma'am. Thank you, ma'am." I say with sincere tones.

"Now then, what is it that you seek from the college?" Mirabelle asked.

"Where is my room?" I ask her.

"We'll get to that once you answer my question." Mirabelle said.

"And it was?" I ask her, now confused.

She sighed, clearly annoyed. "Everyone who comes to the college seeks something, so what is it that you wish to gain from the college?"

"Knowledge about the Elder Scrolls." I tell her plainly.

"Hmm…" She paused to think about it. "The college may have the knowledge you seek, but it would be very limited. Now then, is that all you seek?" Mirabelle asked.

"I also want to learn more about the 'Arcane Arts'" I said, quoting Faralda.

"Ah, of course. Now, which of the five schools are you most interested in?" Mirabelle asked.

"What are there?" I ask in response.

Mirabelle cringed slightly, clearly she was hoping that I had at least some idea on what I wanted to study. I mean, come on, I only arrived here a few days ago.

"There's Destruction, Conjuration, Alteration, Illusion, and Restoration." Mirabelle said.

"Alteration and Restoration sound interesting." I reply, making my decision.

"Ah, then you should speak with Colette and Tolfdir after I show you to your room. Tolfdir teaches Alteration and Colette teaches Restoration, and you'll find both of them either in the main building or the Hall of Countenance." Mirabelle said.

"Thank you ma'am." I respond to her, keeping the genuine politeness constant.

"Now then, let me show you to where you'll be staying." Mirabelle said.

"Alright." I reply, falling in line with her.

We made our way to a door located on the left side of the wall, which leaded into one of the other side towers. When we walked in, I immediately noticed that it had another one of those weird blue light-pillar-things in the center of the room, with side rooms surrounding it. We reached the center of the room and turned right, and entered a small but nice looking room. It had a decent looking bed in the center with two wardrobes on either side of it, with two large and one small wardrobe on the right. The left side had a small table and chair next to three barrels, for now, I think I'll stick to the bed.

"This is where you'll be staying. The bed and wardrobes are yours, so feel free to put anything you want in them." Mirabelle said.

"Sounds good." I comment, staring longingly towards a comfortable looking bed.

"Now then, once you get settled, be sure to stop by the Hall of the Elements for a brief lesson in Alteration. We're supposed to be having some more apprentices come in a few days, but I'm sure Tolfdir won't mind giving you a headstart." Mirabelle said, leaving the room.

As much as I wanted to go to classes, I was too tired to move any further. I never really got a good night's sleep at any of our locations, so a bed is amazing.

I rolled over and felt great after my short nap in a comfortable bed. I fell out of my bed when I saw the human skulls and goat head on the wardrobe in the right side of my bed.

"Who puts these kinds of things there?" I asked no one in particular.

While I mumbled about weird things lying around in my room, I prepared for my Alteration classes with Tolfdir. I put on the Mage's robes, hood, gloves, and some shoes that I was given in my wardrobes and walked over to the main building. I hesitated by the door, thinking it would open on its own like the front gate. When it didn't, I pushed it open and walked in.

I saw high-ceilings and a long walkway to a grand circular hall, which I assume is the Hall of Elements. An old looking man was talking to Mirabelle, discussing lesson plans. When she referred to his name as "Tolfdir", I knew this was the teacher I was looking for. _Good. I don't have to ask people for directions._ After they finished talking, I walked over to the man Mirabelle called "Tolfdir".

"Hello. Are you Tolfdir?" I asked him.

"Indeed I am, and who might you be?" Tolfdir asked.

"Weiss Schnee. I talked to Mirabelle and she said that you teach Alteration. And I wanted to learn Alteration." I tell him, saying my name as only a formality.

"Ah! So you're the new apprentice she mentioned! It's always good to see young people taking an interest in magic. Now then, do you know the concepts of Alteration?" Tolfdir asked.

"Not really. The only spell I know was the one that got me into the college." I admit to my teacher.

"Well then, let's start with a basic explanation, are you ready?" Tolfdir asked.

"Yes." I reply, preparing for something that I have no idea about.

"Alteration provides pure mages and magic dabblers alike the ability to bolster their defenses. However, until expert level Alteration is purely defensive. In addition, Alteration normally levels slowly because the 'flesh' spells will rarely be cast more than once during each combat encounter. Their high cost also means that pure mages sacrifice tons of offensive potential by casting a flesh spell at the beginning of combat. You with me so far?" Tolfdir asked.

"Mostly." I reply, trying to memorize what he said.

He paused to get his train of thought back. "Now then, as I was saying, Alteration spells are most useful for a mage who in the long term wants to be more resistant to magic, a mage planning to be able to paralyze their foes, a pure mage who isn't confident in their ability to avoid weapons based attacks and so uses flesh spells, or a warrior who dabbles in magic. That's Alteration magic in a nutshell, any questions?" Tolfdir asked.

"No, sir." I respond.

"Excellent! Now then, I suppose we should get to practicing, shall we?." Tolfdir said, moving to one of the seals on the floor.

"Let's." I reply, following him to one of the seals.

"Now then, normally you'd have to buy one of these, but since it's your first lesson, you get this for free." Tolfdir said, handing me a orange book with a weird tree on it.

I grab it and see the title. _Oakflesh_ is written on the first page. I flipped through the pages like when I read the first one, and it disappeared when I finished, also much like the first one.

"Alright. Let's try this." I say to him, ready to practice.

I thought of the book that Tolfdir gave to me as I held my left hand open, and not a second later, a singular light blue-ish green polygon appeared in my hand, with smaller polygons floating around it. After remembering what I did to get into the college, I closed my hand slightly, and I could feel the spell draining away a good portion of something in my head, which gave me a slight headache. Regardless, I released the spell, which coated me in a light-green glow after making the sound of a tree growing. _I guess that's why the call it Oakflesh._ After a minute, the glow dissipated in a small flash of light. While I was still partially confused as to what happened, Tolfdir seemed to be pleased.

"Marvelous! You casted that spell perfectly!" Tolfdir said.

"Great! So what does Oakflesh do?" I asked him, ready to learn more about the spell that I just casted.

"As I mentioned previously, the 'flesh' spells increase one's defenses. Oakflesh is the most basic, and is most common amongst new mages who dabble in Alteration. The most advanced as of right now is Ebonyflesh, but that falls into the expert level of Alteration spells. With enough practice, I have no doubt that you'll be able to achieve that and more." Tolfdir said.

"Alright, sounds good. Now, what's next?" I asked, looking to find another spell to learn.

"Well now, aren't we the anxious one? Very well, I'll teach you one more spell for today." Tolfdir said, handing me another book. I reached for my money pouch.

"Oh no, you can have this one for free as well, from here on out you will have to pay for them though." Tolfdir said.

"Thank you." I say, moving my hand from my pouch to grab the book. I read the first page and the spell was called " _Candlelight_ ". _Sounds interesting enough…_ I read through it and it disappears.

"Okay. Here I go." I say to him, preparing to cast the spell.

I replicated the process from a few minutes ago, but instead of a blue-ish green polygon thing appearing in my hand, a ball of light did. I didn't think much of it as I clenched my hand and released it, what caught me slightly off-guard was the fact that I now had a ball of light floating near the right side of my head. I moved around slightly to see if it followed me, and sure enough, it did. It only lasted a minute, but it did keep a small area around me nice and illuminated.

"Excellent! You really are a natural at this." Tolfdir said.

"Thank you. I always try my hardest." I told him.

"Now then, I'll leave you with that. I still have to make lesson plans for when the other apprentices show up." Tolfdir said, making his way out of the Hall of the Elements.

 _I guess I should talk to the other teacher I want to learn under, before researching the Elder Scrolls._

I looked around the Hall of Elements and noticed that I was the only one still in it. _Now is as good a time as any to go and read up on Elder Scrolls._ I walked towards the entrance to the main part of the college and up the stairs that led to the Arcanium. I walked up two short flights of stairs that leads to the entrance to the Arcanaeum. I cautiously entered the Arcanaeum and looked around to see who was there. I saw a man with two large tusks poking out of his lips from the bottom jaw, which didn't fit with his olive green skin. _That's weirder than a faunus…_ I walked through the left most aisle looking for a book on the so-called Elder Scrolls.

"Is there something I can help you with?" The man asked.

"No, I think I'm alright." I say to him, still looking at the books on the shelves.

"You sure? I can tell that you have no idea what to look for, based on the way your looking at the books." The man said.

"I am looking for books on the Elder Scrolls." I admit, after feeling offended that he thinks I don't know what I'm doing.

"Elder Scrolls?" He paused to stand up. "Do you even know what you're asking about? Or are you just someone's errand girl?"

I looked all around trying to decide whether or not to tell him about how I got to this place called "Tamriel". I sigh and start to explain how I got here.

"So, my friends and I were going through this weird dungeon." I pause to look to see if he is still listening to this _vastly important_ story of mine. I continue anyways. "Long story short, we find this weird scroll at the end. One of my friends opens it and me and three other of my friends wound up in the forests of Falkreath right before Helgen was destroyed. We came from a place called 'Remnant'. I was told that the thing that took my friends and I here was called an 'Elder Scroll'. I just wanted to find out if it was possible for us to go home…" I tell him, choking up by the end at the thought of not having my mountains of money at my fingertips.

"Hmm…" He sat there in thought for a good five minutes before speaking again. "So, if I'm understanding this correctly, you and your friends were transported to Skyrim by an Elder Scroll after you went through a 'weird dungeon', and you want to know how to find one so you can get back?".

"Yes." I tell him, pouring on some sadness so he'll be more willing to help me.

"Hmm, well then, while I can't help you locate one, I have some books here that might help you better understand them." The man said, moving over to a shelf by his desk.

"Thank you very much." I said sweetly, while walking up to his desk with a sad smile on my face.

"Now then, these are the only books I have on the Elder Scrolls, but even then, they're mainly rumors and conjecture." The man said, placing two books in front of me.

"Thank you." I told him, as I picked up the book nearest me. _Ruminations of the Elder Scrolls._

" _Imagine living beneath the waves with a strong-sighted blessing of most excellent fabric. Holding the fabric over your gills, you would begin to breathe-drink its warp and weft. Though the plant matter fibers imbue your soul, the wretched plankton would pollute the cloth until it stank to heavens of prophecy. This is one manner in which the Scrolls first came to pass, but are we the sea, or the breather, or the fabric? Or are we the breath itself?_ "

I closed it quickly and threw it down causing the librarian to look at me surprisingly. He then started laughing, which I found very rude.

"I take it you read 'Ruminations' first?" He asked, still chuckling.

"How'd you know?" I asked, now surprised.

"That's the reaction most people have when they read it." The man said.

"That makes perfect sense." I comment.

"What was wrong with him?" I asked after a pause.

"He's the world's leading expert on Elder Scrolls, it's just that…well…" He trailed off for a minute. "He's been gone for a while, too long."

"Where'd he go?" I asked, not getting what he meant.

"Well, gone as in mad. The scrolls have varying effects on people, and he got hit with a lot of it." The man said.

"Ah." I reply, not willing to open the can of worms.

"Now then, if you have any more questions, feel free to ask." The man said, moving back to his chair.

"No. I think I'm good." I say, before thanking the librarian again for his help.

I walked back to my room in the Hall of Attainment. I tried to read the other book that I picked up called " _Effects of the Elder Scrolls_ ". True to its name, it was mainly about how different knowledges of the Elder Scrolls affect a person's sight and mental state following their reading it. _Maybe Septimus Signus knew a lot about Elder Scrolls when he read one…_ Once I realized that the _Effects_ book didn't have much in the way about Elder Scrolls, I went back to reading _Ruminations_.

" _Can we flow through the Scrolls as knowledge flows through, being the water, or are we the stuck morass of sea-filth that gathers on the edge?_

 _Imagine, again, this time but different. A bird cresting the wind is lifted by a gust and downed by a stone. But the stone can come from above, if the bird is upside down. Where, then, did the gust come from? And which direction? Did the gods send either, or has the bird decreed their presence by her own mind making?_ "

With that happy note, I went to sleep.

* * *

 **/AN: Sup Guys! Sorry for the delay again, but the chapters that we're currently working on require a lot of detail. Add the fact that my job takes up a lot of my day (depending on what shift I have) and the fact that I'm going to be starting school in a couple of weeks, the chapters might remain spread out for a while. But trust me, my friends and I are working our hardest to get these chapters out to you so you can enjoy them! So hold tight, and see you the next time I upload a chapter!**


	7. Light Fingers and Even Lighter Pockets

**Chapter 7: Light Fingers and Even Lighter Pockets**

 ** _Blake's Perspective_**

"Hey, ma'am." I heard someone say from over me. My shoulder shook because of said person above me. "Ma'am we're here in Riften."

I opened my left eye and say Alfarinn leaning from the front of the carriage.

"Good morning." I say to him, stretching as I said that.

"Aye, and quite an early one at that." Alfarinn said. I looked around and noticed that the sun just started to poke over the horizon.

I rubbed my eyes. "Thanks for taking me here."

"No problem ma'am, just doing my job." Alfarinn said.

"Okay. I'll be off." I told him, jumping off the back and walking to the doors of Riften.

"Be safe, Riften's a dangerous place." Alfarinn said, readying his horse.

I waved and walked up to the guards.

"Halt! All who come to Riften must pay the visitor's tax." The guard on the right said.

"Visitor's tax?" I asked, confused.

"Yes, it's for the privilege of entering the city, why does it matter?" The guard said.

"No other cities that I have been to asked for a visitor's tax." I comment.

The guard shuffled a bit before responding. "Well, that's because...um...you see…"

"Go on." I prompt him, my arms crossed.

"Alright fine! I'll let you in, just don't tell anyone." The guard said, moving to the gate.

"Thank you." I say with an air of finality.

I walked into the city and see a man leaning against a pole with a very large set of armor on him. I decide to ask him about the jobs around here, seeing as that's why I'm here.

"I don't know you. You in Riften lookin' for trouble?" The man asked, harshly.

"I was just looking for a job." I told him coolly.

"Yeah? Well, I got news for you; there's nothing to do here. Last thing the Black-Briars need is some stranger stickin' their nose where it doesn't belong." The man said, keeping his harsh tone.

"Who are the Black-Briars?" I ask him cooly.

"The Black-Briars have Riften in their pocket and the Thieves Guild watchin' their back, so keep your nose out of their business." The man paused before continuing. "Me? I'm Maul, I watch the streets for 'em. If you need dirt on anythin', I'm your guy...but it'll cost you."

"Thieves Guild?" I ask, not allowing my caution to seep through my tone.

"The name says it all, nothing more." Maul said.

"What do they do to hold up the Black-Briars?" I ask.

"You see what you're doing right now? That's sticking your nose where it doesn't belong." Maul paused before continuing. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to meet someone at the docks."

He walked past me and over to the area that, I assume, houses the docks. _Well that was certainly a warm welcome_ , I thought as I walked towards what I assumed to be the center of the city. It wasn't that big of a city, but considering Winterhold had a total of 4 buildings, it is safe to assume that the standards for a city in this world are a bit more lenient than back on Remnant.

Walking onto a bridge that led over to a large building at the town's center, I looked down and noticed a small canal running through the bottom of the city with degraded wooden docks running through it. It smelled distinctly of human sewage. _I am starting to realise how much I took modern plumbing for granted._

The building, now identified as The Bee and Barb, had some drunken men walking out and singing some tale of a hero from "ole' Rorikstead". I take it that it's the inn I will most likely have to stay in for a while, so I head on inside. To my surprise I see that it is much more populated than any of the other inns so far. As for first impressions, this place doesn't give me much hope for the town due to the overpopulation of drunkards in this place.

I move over to the bar and notice something or rather someone that immediately takes me by surprise. It seems to be that the bartender is a humanoid lizard which to be fair shouldn't surprise me at this point. The scales on her body seemed to be a mix between light-gray and black with reddish-orange eyes, and if that wasn't weird enough she had a ring of spikes appearing around the crown of her head.

Noticing me walking up the bartender quickly said a line I am sure she has said thousands of times. "If you've got the coin, you're welcome here. Otherwise, hit the road."

"What did you say?" I replied, still in semi-shock.

"I said: 'If you've got the coin, you're welcome here.' What about that is hard for you to understand?" She asked harshly.

"I have coin with me." I say hesitantly, still a bit confused by the lizard woman.

"Well then what do you want? Food, drink, a place to stay?" she said with an obvious tone of annoyance in her speech.

"A place to stay would be nice, and maybe some clean water if that isn't too much to ask." I hastily replied.

"Yes that would be 15 septims. Ten for the room, five for the water" the bartender said as she gets a large flagon out from under the bar. I go through the meager amount of coins I have in my purse to get the money required. "Thank you, now I will show you to your room, if you would follow me." without waiting for a response she gave me the water and started walking upstairs.

"I will never get used to this place will I?" I mumble under my breath before stumbling after her.

As I caught up to her, she was standing in front of a pair of doors leading to what I assumed to be my room. She said, "This is it, now be sure to let me know if you need anything else." With that, she went back down the stairs as fast as she came up, leaving me to my own devices. Still I guess I shouldn't be complaining, I finally get to have some privacy for once in this world.

Walking in I notice the same type of fur bed I used in Winterhold along with some dressers. With that in mind though I walk over to the bed, take my shoes off, lay down and take out a book that I haven't got an opportunity to finish yet. It's a long epic fantasy _(or would it be realistic in this world?)_ novel about a farm boy who found a dragon egg destined to save the world. Cliche, I know but it's a good story so far.

I got down and relaxed for a few hours before I realized that if I was gonna stay here, I might as well get to know the place a bit. With that in mind I put the book away and went down stairs. As I was heading out the door I got blinded by the afternoon sun as the bustling sounds of the town square came to life.

 _How did I not hear this in a log building for dust's sake. This place is just as loud as the cafeteria at Beacon somehow._ With that thought, I briefly felt homesick as I walked towards the source of the noise, which was unsurprisingly the town market. Merchants and beggars advertising their need for some coin are mixed in with the few people looking around and buying the various pieces of merchandise, even as the one flipping a coin at an old woman in dirtied old rags. I walk up to the market as one of the merchants, a tall man in some noble clothes tried to get my attention.

"Psst. Hey lass, over here." The man said. I hesitantly walk over to him.

"What is it?" I asked cautiously.

"You seem to be running a little light in the pockets, aren't ya?" The man asked.

"...How'd you know?" I asked, now very concerned. I even grabbed my money pouch.

"It's all about sizing up your mark, lass. They way they walk, what they're wearing. It's a dead giveaway." The man said.

"So… Why'd you call me over here?" I asked hesitantly.

"I've got an errand to perform, but I need an extra pair of hands. And in my line of work, extra hands are _well-paid_." The man said, putting emphasis on the last part.

I look at my bag of coins and I see just how small it is. "Yeah. I think I'll help." I say with much uncertainty.

"Excellent." The man paused before continuing. "Now the job is simple...I'm going to cause a distraction and you're going to steal Madesi's silver ring from a strongbox under his stand. Once you have it, I want you to place it in Brand-Shei's pocket without him noticing." The man said, pointing both men out at their respective stands.

I instantly thought back to my days in the White Fang and I remembered all the times I needed skills like this.

I nod slightly. "I think-" I pause "I think I can handle it." I say with fear and confidence playing tug-of-war in my emotions.

"Good. Wait until I start the distraction then show me what you're made of." The man started to prepare before he remembered something. "Oh, I almost forgot. Take these, you might not need all of them, but there's no harm in having spares."

I palmed the lockpicks that the man gave me. He called everyone over to him, and I legged it over to the stand with the strongbox that I was supposed to break into. I opened it with ease and had the ring within seconds. I stayed low and slowly made my way over to the man I had to slip it into before I felt the fear of being caught. _I was let in by those guards without having to pay to enter. I don't want to have them turn on me right after._ I was close to backing out. _I came this far. I might as well just put the ring in his pocket and walk away. Plus I need the money._ I shook my head slightly as I crouch-walked over to the man I needed to plant this ring on. I slipped it in without any trouble. _Thank goodness._ I made my way back to the man, crouched until I hit the crowd, and waited for the crowd to go away.

"Looks like I picked the right person for the job. And here you go…" The man said, handing me a good sized bag of gold. "your reward, just as I promised."

I was about to thank him, but he continued talking. "The way things have been going around here, it's a relief that our plan went off without a hitch."

"Have these plans been going bad lately?" I asked, hoping that I wasn't intruding much. _You're welcome, Maul._

"Bah. My organization has been having a run of bad luck, but I suppose that's just how it goes. But never mind that, you did the job, and you did it in record time no doubt. Best of all, there's more where that came from...if you think you can handle it." The man said.

 _I need the money, but is this right? It's like the White Fang all over again._ Yet another memory of Remnant sends a pang of homesickness to my heart.

I nod, not knowing what to say in this situation.

"All right, then. Let's put that to the test. The group I represent has it's home in the Ratway beneath Riften… a tavern called the Ragged Flagon. Get there in one piece, and we'll see if you've really got what it takes." The man said, walking off towards the inn. He paused and called back to me not a second later. "Oh, and the Ratway can be accessed by going down the stairs near Honorhall Orphanage, and it'll be the first door on the left side."

"Got it. See you down there." I say to him as he walks away.

He chuckled as he walked away, which didn't really settle my nerves. If anything, that made them worse. _Of all to work I get back to work, it's by being a thief. What a wonderful world._ I think in a sarcastic way manner. _If there is one upside to this, it's got to be the fact that I am not one of the ones having their stuff stolen._

As I was going around the market place, I noticed that the merchant I stole from was another one of those lizard people. The people around me don't seem to be as taken aback by him as much as I, so it is safe to assume these people are not a rare sight here. I intently listen to him advertising his wares as any other merchant would.

"Jewelry with legendary Argonian craftsmanship!" The humanoid shouted to no one in particular. _Argonian. Either that is the name of a place or of his people. Hopefully the latter._ But before I go any further into that side track, I decide to do as I was told earlier and head off in the same direction the man went. I saw a large iron gated door that was next to the river.

I opened it gingerly and walked towards the wood door that was inside the wall. The sign read " _The Ratway_ ". _Good. That means that I am in the right place._ I walked in and saw a woodcutter's axe lying on the floor next to a skull. I looked up from that long enough to see that this place looks slimy, gross, and claustrophobic. _What kind of place_ is _this?_ I walked to the end of a stairway, over the axe and the skull. I entered a room that looked like an outer ring to a circular room, which I guess it was.

Two large men confronted me. They were certainly drunk. One pulled out a mace and shield, the other a bow. I didn't want to hurt them, but what else could I do? The one with the mace and shield charged me while the one with the bow played support. _I can handle these guys. The archer looks like he would shoot the mace-wielder anyways._ The mace-wielder swung and stupidly opened himself up. When he swung, he moved his shield to his side, protecting nothing. I crouched and bashed his abdomen with the pommel of Gambol Shroud, causing him to double over, covering me from the vision of the archer. He stupidly fired in my general area. It struck the mace-wielder in the back of the head, sending him sprawling towards me. I screamed and jumped out of the way of his falling body. The arrow landed just above his shoulders and the very tip protruded from the top of his head. I didn't have time to focus on his dead body, instead turning to the archer who, after killing his friend, drew a dagger so he could fight with me. He charged and stabbed with his dagger. I easily parried the strike with the scabbard of Gambol Shroud, at the same time I stabbed him in the gut. A strangled cough was the response to him getting a nice hole in his gut. I shoved it farther in, bringing me closer to him. The life left his eyes in that moment. I kicked him off Gambol Shroud quickly, so as to not taint the blade.

 _I killed someone, but something tells me I will do it more from here on out…_

I walked into the next room and came upon a ledge with two doors, one right next to the ledge and one on the other side of the room. I jumped down from the ledge and walked into the one closest to me. I passed through a gated door and went up a set of stairs. Some girl yelling "You shouldn't have come here!" broke my concentration. She ran towards me with a dagger in hand. She swung it like it was a long-bladed weapon. _Big mistake._ I stepped back and her swing missed by a foot. I stabbed her chest with the scabbard of Gambol Shroud, knocking her back. She hit the ground with an "Ah." and quickly jumped back up, pressing the assault. I sigh. _I guess I have to kill her too…_ She stabs, I parry with Gambol Shroud. With the same movement, I swung my arm around and sliced her neck at the Jugular artery. She shouted something incoherent as blood spewed from her lacerated neck. She ran towards me in a daze. She never made it past the first half of Gambol Shroud's blade. I watched sadly as she fell to the floor in a heap, blood pooling around her. _Two down._ _And many more to go by the looks of things._

I approached a door that was in the same room as me and it had a plaque that read: " _The Ragged Flagon_ ". _I made it. I guess there wasn't as many people that wanted to kill me as I thought…_

I opened the door and enter a large, circular room with a large pool of water in the center. The walkway went around both sides of the pool, but only the right seemed to get you to the Ragged Flagon proper. As I made my way over to the main area, I noticed that there were smaller side areas meant for storage on either side of the pathway. Once I got to the main area, I saw the man from earlier, but dressed in different clothes surrounded by others dressed like him. The others called the man "Brynjolf", _So that's his name_.

"Well, well...color me impressed, lass. I wasn't certain I'd ever see you again!" Brynjolf said.

"It was a clean up job at best." I told him, with pride in my voice.

"Reliable and headstrong? You're turning out to be quite the prize! So… now that I've whetted your appetite with our little scheme at the market, how about handling a few deadbeats for me?" Brynjolf asked.

"What is it you need me to do?" I asked him.

"Right to the point, eh? I like that. These three owe our organization some serious coin and they've decided not to pay. I want you to explain to them the error of their ways." Brynjolf said.

"Just give me their names and consider it done." I say, focusing on the fact that I need the money.

"Keerava at The Bee and Barb, Bersi Honey-Hand at the Pawned Prawn, and Haelga at Haelga's Bunkhouse. Do this right, and I can promise you a permanent place in our organization." Brynjolf said.

"Alright. I will be back with your money." I tell them, preparing to head to the door.

As I walked away, I overheard Brynjolf and the others saying things such as "She's not even asking for advice." and "How much you want to bet that she won't come back?"

I laugh at the fact that they are underestimating me. It gives me all the more reason to prove them wrong. I went out of the Ragged Flagon and walked back into the antechamber outside of it. _Where do I go from here?_ I walked over to the door that was next to the one that I came in and saw that It had a lever and a bridge across the ledge I went past earlier. I pulled the lever and saw the bridge drop. _Good. Now I can go back and forth easier._ I walked across and back out of the door that was near the water. I felt the sunlight hit my face and I knew that I would return with all the money that Brynjolf asked for.

After the few hours that it took for me to go from shop to shop getting the money, I found myself standing outside of the Ragged Flagon. _Time to go._ I walked in and made my way over to Brynjolf, who hasn't seemed to have moved at all from when I last saw him, save that he looks significantly more intoxicated.

I jingled the bag of coins by his face. "I got your money." I said simply.

"So, job's done and you even brought the gold. Best of all you did it clean. I like that. Dumping bodies and keeping guards quiet can be expensive." Brynjolf said, taking the gold.

"I do it quick, right and simply." I say, with a slight mock-bow.

"Aye. And judging from the way you handled those shopkeepers, I'd say you've done more than simply prove yourself. We need people like you in our outfit." Brynjolf said.

"So I'm with you all now?" I asked, in response to his outfit comment.

"Aye lass, you've proven yourself to be much more than a practiced thief. The larceny is in your blood, something that a lot of people lack these days. I think you'll do more than just fit in around here." Brynjolf said.

"That sounds great." I said to him. _Do I ask if I get paid for that last thing I did?_

"Now, before I go and show you what we're all about, here's your pay for that job you just did." Brynjolf said, getting up and handing me three different colored potions of varying sizes.

"Thank you." I told him as I grabbed the potions. "Now, is there any other job I can do for you?"

"We can talk business later, for now, follow me." Brynjolf said, making his way over to the room next to the bar.

I nod and walk after him. We walk through a cabinet and enter an antechamber. He walks over to another door and into a very large room. At four different points on the domed ceiling there is grates with water pouring out of them, which just fills the pool at the bottom. The cistern, as I heard from someone inside, is circular in shape with a central pool and a bridge/platform at the center. beds and chests line the walls around the pool on the side nearest the door and on the side opposite, there is a table with food, an office-type area for the head-honcho and a place to practice archery. I follow Brynjolf until he reaches the center of the bridge/platform where a man with gray hair was standing.

"Mercer? This was the one I was talking about...our new recruit." Brynjolf said.

"Hmm? Oh, yes. Since Brynjolf assures me that you'll be nothing but a benefit to us, then you're in. Welcome to the Thieves Guild." Mercer said.

"Thank you for letting me join." I said politely.

"But before we continue, I want to make one thing perfectly clear. If you play by the rules, you walk away rich. You break the rules and you lose your share. No debates, no discussions… you do what we say, when we say. Got that?" Mercer asked.

"Understood." I said, not wanting to forfeit any money.

With that, Mercer walked off to another part of the cistern, and Brynjolf approached me for another conversation.

"Welcome to the family, lass. I'm expecting you to make us a lot of coin, so don't disappoint me." Brynjolf said.

"Wouldn't dream of it." I said to him, hoping to raise his hopes.

"That's the spirit. Now then, you should talk to Delvin Mallory and Vex. They know their way around this place and they'll be able to kick some extra jobs your way. Oh, and talk to Tonilia at the Flagon...she'll get you set up with your new armor." Brynjolf said, walking off soon after.

I walked back through the cabinet and into the Ragged Flagon. I called for Tonilia, like Brynjolf told me to, and came upon a dark-skinned woman.

"So you're the new recruit, eh?" She paused and looked me over "And an outworlder at that, well, looks like you and I are going to have to get very well acquainted."

"That sounds very nice." I said in response.

"Not the response I was expecting, but anyway, I'm the fence down here. You come across anything you don't exactly own and I'll pay you some coin for it. Minus a little slice for the Guild, of course. I can also provide a few supplies useful to our trade now and again, for a small fee." Tonilia said.

"Now _that_ sounds nice." I say, emphasis on that. "Having somewhere to sell stuff sounds great."

"It is, now then, here's your armor, just make sure you put it to good use." Tonilia said, handing me the set.

"Thank you very much. And trust me, I certainly will." I say in response.

"Good, just make sure you bring back lots of coin." Tonilia said, walking towards the cistern.

In the weeks following, I made close to 2,500 septims. Brynjolf decided to teach me a bit more and we went out to the market place on a real lesson.

"I must say lass, you've done great these past few weeks. You even completed the Goldenglow job, and we'd been stuck on that for months." Brynjolf said.

"All it takes is a little bit of finesse." I say back to him, smiling.

"Aye it does. Now then, the job I have for you is a bit impromptu, but it should pay well." Brynjolf said.

"And it is…" I say, prompting him to continue.

"See that man in the market over there? Heading towards the Ratway?" Brynjolf said, pointing to the market.

"The one in the iron gauntlets, iron helmet and studded chestpiece with a banded iron shield?" I asked him.

"Aye...he managed to get some information out of me for free, saying 'dragons are bad for business'. While he isn't wrong, we _never_ give information away for free, you know that by now, right lass?" Brynjolf asked.

"Of course I do." I confirmed.

"Now then, I'd say he owes us… 350 Septims. So all you need to do is get down there and pickpocket it from him. Anything else you want from him is yours for the taking." Brynjolf said.

"Will do. I'll be right back." I tell him, making my way over to the man.

I walked casually through the semi-crowd that this place has and once I got within fighting distance, I dropped into a crouch and slowly made my way over to him. The closer I got to him, the more I realized that I recognized him. I didn't know where I knew him from, just that I recognized him. _I need the money, sorry dude-that-I-know!_ He walked down to the Ratway. _Oh no he doesn't!_ I walked over and started to pick his pocket, but somehow he noticed me. He grabbed my hand in an incredibly tight grip, and flung me against the wall. After hitting me with a quick elbow to the chest, he covered my mouth with his left hand, and put a ebony dagger to my throat with his right hand.

"I was aware that Riften was full of thieves, but I didn't expect to be attacked so soon. It's a shame, I was hoping to catch one that was more of a fighter, but I guess you'll do." The man said.

I started trying to speak, but I was muffled by his hand. I tried to flail, but he pushed the dagger deeper into my neck. I quickly stopped fighting, because I was cornered.

"That's more like it. Now then, I'm sure you're aware of what happens to thieves when they get caught with no guards around?" The man asked.

I nod. Brynjolf went over it with me to the point that I could recite it from heart.

"So you know that you're not leaving this hallway alive, I take it?" The man said.

I nod again.

"However, before I end your miserable life, I'll ask two things of you, and you must comply. Understand?" The man asked, harshly.

I nod for a third time.

"First thing I require is an answer to a question, do you know who I am?" The man asked.

I slightly nod, because I suddenly remembered him as the guy we went to Whiterun with.

"Good, nice to see that the whole 'Dragonborn' thing is starting to spread." the Dragonborn said, more to himself than me. "Now then, the second thing I require from you is that you remove your hood. Unlike most Nords, I wish to see the face of a thief before I strike them down."

I shakily reach up and push the hood back so that he could see my face. This instantly drew a reaction from him that I didn't expect. He removed both his hand and his blade and backed up slightly.

"No, no… what happened? It's only been a few weeks and...why?" The Dragonborn said, confused.

"What? In the same few weeks you went from a dude who eluded execution to this 'Dragonborn'." I said to him, angrily.

"You're missing the point here. First of all, where are the others? Secondly, why are you in Riften? And thirdly, why did you join the Thieves Guild?" The Dragonborn asked, angered and confused.

"Well, Ruby and Yang are in Whiterun. Weiss is at the College of Winterhold. And I am here because I wanted to make sure that we all had money. And the Thieves Guild recruited me, I didn't join them." I informed him.

"Look, I understand that you four are outworlders and that you want to make the most of your time here, but please, be careful. If I hadn't recognized you, you would be a motionless corpse right now. You four need to watch yourselves, you more than the others." The Dragonborn said.

"The only reason I tried to pickpocket you was because my superior said that you owe him 350 Septims for information." I said, awkwardly.

"Well you can tell your 'superior' that the next person that he sends after me for his 'payment' is going to sent back in pieces. The dragon threat is much more important than his stupid schemes, he should know that." The Dragonborn said, angered.

"I'll tell him that." I said, my voice cracking a bit from fear.

"Good, now if you'll excuse me, I have a meeting with a man in the Ratway Warrens. It was nice catching up with you, Blake." The Dragonborn said, walking into the Ratway and slamming the door shut behind him.

 _Well, that could've gone better…_

* * *

 **/AN: Hey guys! I've got some good news! Now that my friends and I are finished with some of the detail heavy chapters (you guys will love them when they come up), you should see more consistent uploads from me, so look forward to that! Until then, please enjoy!**


	8. Hellfire and Ancient Tongues

**Chapter 8: Hellfire and Ancient Tongues**

 ** _Ruby's Perspective_**

"My, there seems to be a surplus amount of guards these days." Yang comments as we stand in the center of the marketplace.

"I've got to keep my eyes open in case any dragons come…can't let Whiterun end up like Kynesgrove..." A guard murmurs to no one as he stumbled his way past us, his eyes ringed by bags. _At least he has been faithful to that cause…_

"Maybe what happened at Kynesgrove influenced the Legate of Whiterun to send more men." I reply to Yang, staring at the back of the retreating figure of the sleepless guard.

"Maybe…" She comments, looking disdainfully at the guards hitting on the woman on the right side of the market place, who runs a small cart.

I was alerted by the Imperial soldiers who formed up and started marching towards the front gate. _Maybe they have orders to move on. They've been here for a week already…_ Almost as if the gods of this land answered my question, flaming chunks of rock started to fall from the sky. Fear paralyzed me, my spine tingling, arms rigidly by my side, eyes plastered to the flames crashing from the heavens. It was as if Talos himself ripped open the sky and went to punish the Imperials for ignoring him.

But that was before the battle cry arose. Within minutes of the beginning of the fallout, blue clad men threw themselves over the walls that surrounded Whiterun. Dead Imperials fell from the walls head first, the impact alone was enough for them to reach Sovngarde. The shrieks of burning women and men drowned out the clashes of steel and wood. Fire continued to rain from the heavens. Talos was not done punishing the Imperials for their heavenism, it seemed.

"We have to get out of here or else the Stormcloaks will see us as enemies!" Yang shouted to me, as she grabbed my hand and dragged me back to Jorrvaskr.

Over the cries of the dead and dying and of the fighting, a single voice, as old as time itself cut through Whiterun. " _ **Fus… Ro Dah!**_ " It was like the shock wave from an explosion, and Yang and I were far from its epicenter. A sword flew from the fight and landed at my feet. The blood from the lives it stole stained the blade. But it was the blood of the one who wielded it that stained the handle.

Yang pulled me to the doors of Jorrvaskr, but I couldn't be tempted to enter. My legs refused to stand. I sat on my knees, hands folded haphazardly in my lap, before the doors of the great mead-hall of the Companions, who couldn't be bothered with the city they were sworn to protect burning outside them. And the people they talked to and the friends they made burned with the city. I watched as Imperial after Imperial fell as the Stormcloak advance pushed through the marketplace.

Once again the words as old as time rang out, forcing me onto my back. " _ **Fus… Ro Dah!**_ " I saw the man who uttered it. He was dressed in a humble assortment of armor, but the aura he gave off was one of a god. _Did Talos descend upon Whiterun to assist the Stormcloaks?_ I realized I was wrong as the Stormcloak warhorse forced its way up to the mead-hall. The man looked over at me, looked carefully at my face, then nodded as if confirming something. He quickly turned from me and stabbed an Imperial in the gut before twisting the blade and withdrawing it with a shout. As the Stormcloaks carried on, he hung back long enough to nod again, as if to tell me to stay there. It was no longer a mystery who this man was. He is the Dragonborn of legend. And also the man we traveled with to Whiterun those many weeks ago. He returned to Whiterun, this time with a desire to capture the city. _At least Heimskr will be free to worship Talos…_

The Dragonborn forced his way up past the Statue of Talos and made his way to Dragonsreach. Within a moment, it seemed, he stood before the doors of Dragonsreach, this time to take Whiterun as opposed to save it from dragons.

Many minutes past. I grew tired of sitting there waiting like the Dragonborn seemed to want me to. _What is he even doing in there?!_ As quicker then I could grow too tired, he emerged from Dragonsreach, Ralof by his side. They walked into the square with the Gildergreen, before splitting off, Ralof to Windhelm and the Dragonborn over to me.

"So, Blake was correct in saying that you two were in Whiterun, I'm glad that you survived the battle." The Dragonborn said.

"You saw Blake? Is she okay? We last saw her three weeks ago when we went from Windhelm to here, so Yang and I could join the Companions." I said to him, questions and information pouring from my mouth like it was a water spout.

"Well, she was fine until I nearly killed her, but I assume she was doing well before that." The Dragonborn said, nonchalantly.

"That's goo- wait what? You tried to kill her? Why?" I interrupted myself and interrogated him.

"To be fair, she was trying to pickpocket me. The only punishment for thievery when a guard isn't around is death." The Dragonborn said.

"Pickpocket you? Blake? I don't think she could do something like that…" I respond, thinking over all the things that I have seen Blake do in our time together on the same team.

"Well, whether by choice or not, she's now a member of the Thieves Guild. To be honest I was quite surprised at the fact myself, considering I was holding a dagger to her neck." The Dragonborn said.

"She said she wanted to go to Riften to help us get money…" I say to him, reiterating what Blake told Yang and I those long three weeks ago.

"Well clearly she has her own way of doing that. Now then, what do you say we head inside?" The Dragonborn asked, gesturing to Jorrvaskr.

"Follow me." I say politely, leaping up and holding the door for him.

"So, this is Jorrvaskr, the famous mead-hall of the Companions." I said to him, gesturing with my right arm at the scene inside. It was merely Yang wolfing down all the food around her at the central table.

"I...see." The Dragonborn said, slightly taken aback by the scene before him.

"Ignore Yang, she is just hungry." I jokingly say.

"I have never seen a woman down so much food so fast...even some of the mightiest Nord warriors couldn't compete with her…" The Dragonborn said, still in awe.

"Make that _very hungry_." I laugh at my own joke.

"Now then, who do I speak to in order to join?" The Dragonborn asked.

"That man is Kodlak. I'll show you to his quarters." I say, walking off and beckoning for him to follow with a wave.

"You know, it's kind of odd to have a child show me where I need to go, but, I can only assume it's nothing special where you come from." The Dragonborn said, making his way over to me.

"Where I'm from I went to a school at a younger age than I should have specifically because of my skill level. So no, it isn't too weird where I'm from." I tell him.

He chuckled slightly, then continued to follow my lead to Kodlak's quarters.

Upon arrival, I knocked on Kodlak's door. He told me to come in. I motioned for the Dragonborn to wait and went in to talk with Kodlak.

"Ah, , what is it you need?" Kodlak asked.

"I have a man who wishes to join the Companions. I know him personally and I can say that he is very skilled with a sword." I tell Kodlak, not wanting to let it slip that it's the Dragonborn.

"Really now? I would like to see him then." Kodlak said.

"Okay. I'll get him and be right back!" I cheerily said.

"Come on in." I said to the Dragonborn, with my poking out of the door.

I quickly moved out the way so the Dragonborn could step inside. When he did, Kodlak's face lit up slightly.

"Ah yes, I've heard of you, you're the Dragonborn, correct?" Kodlak asked.

"Indeed I am, it's an honor to meet you, Harbinger." The Dragonborn said.

"No need for formalities here, boy! Now please, take a seat." Kodlak said.

With that, the Dragonborn sat down across from Kodlak, the two of them were about to begin speaking again when Kodlak turned to me.

" , could you excuse us for a few minutes? I would like the remainder of this conversation to be private." Kodlak said.

"Yes, sir." I told him politely, walking out of the door, but not before smiling at the Dragonborn encouragingly.

After a few minutes of leaning next to the door, the Dragonborn emerged from the room and began walking back towards the door that lead upstairs. I quickly caught up with him.

"How'd it go?" I asked excitedly.

He didn't answer, he just kept walking.

My face falls to sadness. "You didn't make it?" I asked, very sadly.

He didn't respond again, I took a look at his face, and it was a stone cold expression that one makes before a fight.

"Oh." Was all I said as I stopped in my tracks, still in his wake.

He shoved the door open and walked up to the ground level of Jorrvaskr, I followed him after recovering from my minor state of shock. I caught up to him at the top of the stairs, not that it was any challenge, because he was just standing there. I was about to ask him what he was doing when he made his way over to the main table. He walked over and stopped right next to Yang, who was still wolfing down food. Instead of getting her attention like any normal person would, he slammed his fist into the table, getting not only her attention, but the attention of everyone else in Jorrvaskr.

Yang swallowed what she was eating. "Got your panties in a bunch, Dragonborn?" She joked.

He met that joke with a stone cold stare, clearly he wasn't in the mood.

"Yup. You certainly do." Yang said, sobering up quickly.

"Kodlak has ordered that you and I fight, and if I win, I become a Companion. Let's go." The Dragonborn said, making his way out to the yard.

Yang followed him, but waited for me to catch up before walking out the door.

"Did he say anything about this to you?" She whispered to me.

"No, he didn't say much of anything." I whispered back.

"Are you two going to keep whispering to each other? Or are we going to fight?" The Dragonborn asked, sword drawn.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." Yang said to him, waving his threat off.

"So," Yang cracked her knuckles "With, or without gauntlets?" She asked him.

"Hah! Trust me girl, you'll need all the help you can get. Now, a question for you. With, or without Thu'um?" The Dragonborn asked.

"Thu'um?" She asked him, butchering the pronunciation.

"Allow me to demonstrate." He said, smiling. He looked to the sky and said " _ **Fus… Ro Dah!**_ " Just him saying it to the sky forced me to get low to avoid being blown over.

"So? With or without?" He asked again.

"Whichever. I can take you." Yang said, smirking.

"Thu'um it is." The Dragonborn said, getting in a fighting stance.

Yang opened her gauntlets and started to charge, but was forced back by the Dragonborn's "Thu'um". Yang leapt up and pushed the assault, punching shield and weapon hand alike. The Dragonborn slashed at Yang, but caught her left gauntlet instead. Yang then punched him with her right hand. It barely even staggered him. He laughed and bashed Yang with his shield. She put her arms together in an x and stopped most of the force, but it staggered her. The Dragonborn tried to push this opening, but Yang stopped him in his tracks with a well placed punch. Yang pushed the assault but was thrown into the air once again by the Dragonborn's Thu'um. Yang got up again, but slower than last time. The Dragonborn closed the distance and tried to stab Yang to end it, but Yang rolled out of the way and punched the Dragonborn in his lower back, knocking him forward a bit. He quickly turned and bashed Yang. She only had one hand up this time. The shield hit her in the face. Yang leapt up and threw a massive punch that the Dragonborn that knocked him over. "However hard you hit me, I'll hit back harder!" Yang taunted him. "Let's test that!" The Dragonborn taunted back. He then shield bashed her right out of the gate, but Yang hit him with the same force that he hit her with. He slashed at her head, but she dodged. However, a single strand of blonde hair fell to the floor in slow motion. Yang looked at it with horror in her eyes, but it was quickly replaced with fury. "Wh-what happened to your eyes?" The Dragonborn asked. Yang's eyes were a blood red color, in contrast with their normal lilac color. Yang threw punch after punch at the Dragonborn, but they all hit his shield, seeing as he hid behind it. When Yang jumped into the air to strike him with a big punch, the Dragonborn stepped out from behind his shield and said a new set of words " _ **Fo… Krah Diin!**_ "and as Yang fell back to earth, she was covered in the same ice that I was when I went through Yngvild. She stood there, moving immensely slower because of the ice. "I apologise for this, Yang, but I really want to join." The Dragonborn told her with a smile on his face. He pommel bashed Yang on the head, sending her tumbling to the floor. "I guess I win." He said, staring regretfully at the incapacitated form of Yang.

"Go on down to Kodlak, I'll watch over Yang." I told him as I walked over to Yang.

"Alright, and I must say, your sister is quite the fighter." The Dragonborn said, looking back to Yang.

"I'll let her know that you said that." I told him, smiling slightly.

"I've fought stronger though…" The Dragonborn said under his breath as he walked away.

I looked back at him covertly. _Should I tell Yang that as well?_ I laughed under my breath. _No, I don't want the Dragonborn to die…_

The Dragonborn had been apart of the Companions for a couple months now, and he has raided the Dustman's Cairn with Farkas -Yang has yet to forgive him for that one night when he was drunk- and attended a special "initiation" ceremony. During that time we, being Yang, Blake, Weiss and myself, planned to meet up in Whiterun a few months after we all settled in to our respective groups. Today was the day we all meet.

"How long is the cart from Riften? It's already 5:00 in the afternoon!" Yang complained, shivering from the cold. "Are the winters here always this cold?" Yang complained after she shivered, inadvertently causing her to shiver again.

"Because it's winter, it might take longer. We've been here…" I paused to think. "Maybe three months." A guard walked past us "Excuse me. What's the date?"

"I believe it is the 12th of Evening Star, 4E 201." He replied, stopping to answer, but continuing after doing so.

"So, it's Evening Star, which means that it is in the middle of winter." I explain to Yang.

"Lovely." Yang said, sarcasm dripping from her voice, and freezing in the wind. "I should've brought more furs…" Yang said, pulling her two layers of bear pelt closer to her.

"Why do you need two bear pelts? I only have one and I'm alright. Plus, you have those two large heat producers on your chest." I said jokingly, causing Yang to blush.

"At least I have some." She fired back.

"Yang!" I said, hurt breaking my voice up, as I covered my chest.

Right as I was about to insult her back, Blake walked up.

"Hey, guys." She said nonchalantly.

"We've been waiting here for a while." Yang said to her, shivering. Yang looked closely at Blake's attire. "How are you able to only wear that suit of armor?" Yang asked, incredulously.

"Oh this?" She looked down at her armor "It's surprisingly warm." She comments.

"Sorry about the question, Yang is very cold." I say to Blake, apologising in the place of Yang.

"You bet your ass!" Yang complained.

"Huh, you'd think with those two…" Blake stopped to motion breasts "That'd she'd be warm." Blake said with surprise.

'You shouldn't have-" I was cut off by Yang.

"Ruby, here already pointed that out!" Yang angrily commented.

"Let's wait for Weiss in the Bannered Mare. That way Yang can be warm." I say to Yang and Blake.

"Works for me." Blake answered.

"I want to be warm so bad." Yang commented.

"Alright it's settled. Let's head up to the Bannered Mare." I say, standing up and opening the door to the Bannered Mare.

"I was right in front of the place and never knew?" Yang asked, flabbergasted.

Blake and I laughed. Yang, however, did not.

Once we were all warm, we looked around the main area.

"Did Weiss ever show up?" Blake asked.

"I haven't seen her all day, have you Yang?" I asked Yang

"I have not." Yang responded.

"Where is Weiss, then?" I asked Yang and Blake.

* * *

 **/AN: Sup Guys! Sorry for the shorter chapter length this time, but I've got some important information regarding the story and future uploads. So, first of all, I'm now back at school, so depending on how much homework I get, My friends and I may not be able to work as often. Secondly, Chapter 9 probably won't be posted for a while due to my friends taking a break from the story and we're only just now getting back to work. And finally, I have a question for you guys: Would you like to see what Team RWBY is up to during these time skips? They would be fairly short side-chapters and mostly be re-tellings of Skyrim quests, but if you want to see that, just let me know. OK, update over. Please enjoy and I'll see you guys when I upload the next chapter!**


	9. Ruminations of a Deranged Wizard

**Chapter 9: Ruminations of a Deranged Wizard**

 ** _Weiss's Perspective_**

After another successful day of learning and practicing spells, it was yet again time for another evening where I was trying make any sense of these dust forsaken books. _Ruminations_ hardly had where the Elder Scrolls were and _Effects_ was true to its title. I decided to put them in my bag and walk over to the library to ask if they any more information of Septimus Signus. I walked through the front door, up the stairs and into the library. Once there, I saw a heavily armored man talking to Urag, and he was giving him the usual introduction.

"You are now in the Arcanaeum, of which I am in charge. It might as well be my own little plane of Oblivion. Disrupt my Arcanaeum, and I will have you torn apart by angry Atronachs. Now, do you require assistance?" Urag said and asked, in the normal way he greets new people.

"I'm looking for an Elder Scroll." The man said, and with that, my heart sank. I also found myself paying more attention to the conversation.

"And what do you plan to do with it? Do you even know what you're asking about, or are you just someone's errand boy?" Urag asked.

"Of course I do. Do you have one here?" The man asked. What a stupid question, if Urag had one, I would've already gotten my hands on it.

"You think that even if I did have one here, I would let you see it? It would be kept under the highest security, the greatest thief in the world wouldn't be able to lay a finger on it." Urag said.

"What about the Dragonborn?" The man asked. Wait, did he just say Dragonborn? As in the Dragonborn that I've heard the townspeople mention occasionally?

"What about...wait. Are you? Were you the one the Greybeards were calling? I'll bring everything we have on them, but it's not much. So don't get your hopes up. It's mostly lies, leavened with rumor and conjecture." Urag said, getting up and moving to a nearby bookshelf.

"Now where did I leave...ah! That's right, one of the new apprentices, Weiss over there" He said while pointing to me "is also looking for an Elder Scroll. You'll have to ask her for the books."

"Thank you." The Dragonborn said, turning around and walking over to me. I quickly recognized him, but couldn't place where I had seen him before.

"Hello." I hesitantly said to him.

"Hello, Weiss. It's great to see you again." The Dragonborn said.

"I'd hate to be rude," _No I wouldn't_ "but where have I seen you before?" I said politely.

"Ah, my apologies, I walked with you and your friends to Whiterun a few months ago." The Dragonborn said.

"Oh right!" I said remembering as soon as he said it. "So you're the Dragonborn of legend, huh?" I asked him, as I pulled the books out of my bag.

"Yep, your friends were quite surprised as well. Considering Blake found out while I held a dagger to her throat, and I beat Yang into the ground shortly after she and Ruby found out." The Dragonborn said, nonchalantly.

"They deserved it." I comment. "So, here's the books on the Elder Scrolls." I informed him, handing him the books.

"Thank you." He said, walking over to a nearby table to sit down.

The first book the Dragonborn picked up was "Ruminations on the Elder Scrolls", the book I had been trying to decipher this entire time. After no more than a minute of reading, he got up and brought the book to Urag, saying "This 'Ruminations' book is incomprehensible."

"Aye. That's the work of Septimus Signus. He's the world's master on the nature of Elder Scrolls, but...well. He's been gone for a long while. Too long." Urag said.

"Where did he go?" The Dragonborn asked.

"Somewhere up north, in the ice fields. He said he found some old Dwemer artifact, but...well, that was years ago. Haven't heard from him since."

"Thank you for the information." The Dragonborn said.

 _It was that easy?!_ _Seriously?!_

While I was still in semi-shock, the Dragonborn walked over to me and placed the books in my still partially extended hands.

"It was great seeing you again, Weiss. Maybe we'll be able to properly catch up later." The Dragonborn said, walking out of the Arcanaeum.

"That'd be nice." I said, still in a daze.

I walked angrily out of the room and started punching a bale of hay that was lying around. _It was that easy!_ _I could've had the Elder Scroll and gone home by now!_ I went back to the library and picked up my stuff, then headed back to my quarters to grab my things. _I'm going to run to Whiterun and tell everyone about this._

I ran out into a blizzard, but I didn't care. I had a mission. I threw up a _Candlelight_ spell, which lit my way. I ran until I couldn't stand, and that only lasted until I stopped breathing heavily. After I caught my breath, I was off again, _Candlelight_ hovering in front of me. I followed the road that I thought led to Whiterun. I figured that the further from this blizzard I got, the better.

Once I got out of the blizzard, I started to notice more things than just the path. I saw mountains and snowcovered hills. After a short time I passed a fort patrolled by Stormcloaks. _Ah, that's one old looking fort._ I didn't have time to think too much about it. Soon after passing the fort, I saw a river and some fort-like buildings on the mountains in front of me. _These Stormcloaks sure do like themselves some forts…_ I kept running.

I came upon a sign by a river that pointed towards where Whiterun was. I nodded as if someone told me where I was going. I briefly caught sight of a fort-looking building perched on the side of the mountain, but didn't look long enough to get details beyond that. I ran along the path and noticed that It started to get steeper, but leveled out around the same time that I saw an inn. My legs and lungs told me that the inn looks nice, but I needed to get to Whiterun as fast as possible. The hill started sloping downwards and I picked up speed. Within seconds it seemed that I saw Dragonsreach in the distance. My legs awoke with newfound energy. I poured all I had left into getting to Whiterun. It was in sight. I passed all the farms and mills that surrounded Whiterun and never gave them a second of my attention.

The gates of Whiterun stared me in the face. I shoved them open and staggered through. I was exhausted from my long journey. I walked up to the nearest inn thinking that I would be able to rest for the night and find everyone in the morning.

"Weiss!" Three familiar voices shouted my name from inside the inn. I looked up and saw Ruby, Blake and Yang.

"H-hey guys." I say, exhaustion making me stutter.

"Are you alright?" Blake asked as she ushered me into a seat and put a pelt over my shoulders.

"I-" I caught my breath "I ran all the way from Winterhold." I told them, shaking from the temperature change.

"Why? We can't be that important to you can we?" Ruby joked.

I glared at her. "I know a person we can talk to about finding an Elder Scroll."

They all looked shocked.

"You mean that we go home?" Yang asked excitedly.

"Not quite." I inform them. "The Dragonborn is probably at, or past, the man we need to talk to. He was the one who asked. I only overheard."

"Well where is that man?" Blake asked, seemingly ready to sprint to the ends of the earth.

"North of the college. In the middle of the sea." I tell her harshly.

"N-Not water." She said, taking a step back.

"Sorry, but that's the only way." I told her.

"It's alright. We can figure it out when we head over there tomorrow. You need to sleep now. Here's 10 gold, go get yourself a room." Yang said.

"No, we have to go now!" I said angrily.

"I would go now, but I don't want to carry you." Yang retorted.

"Neither do I." Blake comments.

"Carrying her doesn't sound fun." Ruby says, looking at the fire.

I glare at all of them. "I can't believe you would think that I can't make it there."

"I can't believe you made it through the door." Blake responds.

"Fine. I'll go take a nap." I said, angry at them. I snatch the 10 Septims out of Yang's outstretched hand and walked into my room.

After my nap and a very long journey back to Winterhold, we stood outside the college. I staggered into the Arcaneum and went to talk with Urag about the location of Septimus Signus.

"Wh-Where is Septimus Signus?" I ask him, waving my hand around and not really knowing what I was doing because of my exhaustion.

"Up north in the ice fields. Didn't you overhear me and the Dragonborn talking about it?" Urag said, a slightly harsh tone present.

"Y-Yeah, but I just wanted to double check." I told him, my body moving side to side on its own.

"You're probably too late anyway. The Dragonborn most likely already has whatever he wanted from Septimus, considering how long it's been." Urag said, looking past me and to the window.

"Well thanks anyways for the help." I said to him, running out of the Arcaneum and back to my friends.

"We proceed as we planned." I told them, hustling past them and behind the Jarl's Longhouse. They follow me tentatively.

After navigating the icefield in a "borrowed" boat, we came upon a wreck-like thing in the side of a chunk of ice. Blake hopped off and inspected it. Her thumbs up told us that this is where we wanted to be. We all climbed in one-by-one and heard the ramblings of the man inside.

"Dig, Dwemer, in the beyond. I'll know your lost unknown and rise to your depths."

Yang, Blake and Ruby looked at me like they thought I was crazy.

I shrugged. "He went a little crazy." I whispered to them.

"You think?!" Yang whispered back.

"When the top level was built" He laughed for a second "no more could be placed. It was and is the maximal apex."

"Are you sure that this is the man who knows where the Elder Scroll is?" Ruby whispered to me.

"I'm certain." I say back.

"Septimus! We call upon you for guidance to the Elder Scroll!" I call out from above him.

"I've seen enough to know their fabric. The warp of air, the weft of time. But no, it's not in my possession." Septimus said, seemingly to a corner of the room rather than us.

"Where is the Elder Scroll?" I ask him.

"Here." Septimus said.

"It's here?" I asked him, looking around for it.

"Well, here as in this plane. Mundus. Tamriel. Nearby, relatively speaking. On the cosmological scale, it's all nearby." Septimus said, with a bit of a chuckle.

We groan. "Okay, so where is it then?" I ask again, facepalming.

"One block lifts another. Septimus will give you what you want, but you must bring him something in return." Septimus said.

"Oh?" I perk up "What is it that you need?"

"You see this masterwork of the Dwemer. Deep inside their greatest knowings. Septimus is clever among men, but he is an idiot child compared to the dullest of the Dwemer. Lucky then they left behind their own way of reading the Elder Scrolls. In the depths of Blackreach one yet lies. Have you heard of Blackreach? 'Cast upon where the Dwemer cities slept, the yearning spire hidden learnings kept'." Septimus said, finishing with a laugh.

We all look at each other. "So, how do we get to Blackreach?" Yang asked him.

"Under deep. Below the dark. The hidden keep. Tower Mzark. Alftand. The point of puncture, of first entry, of the tapping. Delve into its limits, and Blackreach lies just beyond." Septimus said.  
"Okay, sounds great. Would you look at the time! We better get going…" Yang said, dramatically looking at her wrist.

"But not all can enter there." Septimus said.

"What." Yang said, not even turning around to face Septimus.

"Only Septimus knows the hidden key to loose the lock to jump beneath the deathly rock." Septimus said.

"Well, can you tell us where the hidden key is so we can 'loose the lock to jump beneath the deathly rock'?" Ruby asked him.

"Oh! But Septimus only knows of the key, the man of dragons is currently grasped by its power." Septimus said.

"Of course the Dragonborn has it…" Yang says angrily.

"Hopefully we can catch up to him." Ruby says cheerily.

"The path is long, the path is winding, but the knowledge hidden in the deep can cast away the dark." Septimus said, taking his focus away from us.

"What he said." Ruby says.

"Alright let's get going then." Yang says, starting to walk out.

"Wait! We don't know where Alftand is!" I say to her.

"Fine. Yo, Septimus, where is Alftand at?" Yang asks angrily.

He didn't respond, Septimus went of into another corner and kept rambling to himself, completely shut off from the rest of the world.

"I guess we'll never know!" Yang says anger very present in her voice.

"Let's just go ask Urag." I say to her.

"Okay. Hopefully he'll be better than _this dude_." Yang said, giving a nasty gesture to Septimus, who is talking to himself in the corner.

"Imagine, again, this time but different. A bird cresting the wind is lifted by a gust and downed by a stone. But the stone can come from above, if the bird is upside down." Septimus said, laughing at the end.

I turned and stared at him because he quoted _Ruminations_.

"What? It's just his usual ramblings." Ruby asked me, concern poking through her voice.

"He quoted his book…" I trail off because I am shaking with rage.

He laughed as he stood in the corner, obviously at something he said.

"Let's go." I grumble.

Something appeared in our way. The utter shock of it caused my mind to temporarily short-circuit. Then, as soon as I wrote it off as sleep-deprived hallucinations, it spoke.

"Ah yes...the outworlders. It is an honor to meet you."

"Yes we are. Who are you?" Yang asked, not the least fazed by this anomaly before us. A black mist surrounded its figure, as a result it seemed to appear from beyond this plane of reality. Eyes floated in the air around it, but moved aside when its tentacles occupied the area nearby. _Wait… Tentacles?_ I looked to the center of its mass and saw an eye with a pupil that was trying to diverge into two, but stopped halfway. Five tentacles branched out from the center eye, making it look like it came from an alternate plain of reality even more than it did before, and that is saying something.

"I am Hermaeus Mora. The Knower of the Unknown. In terms that you may understand, I am the Daedric Prince of Knowledge and Fate." Hermaeus Mora said, slowly.

"What's a 'Daedric Prince'?" Ruby asked, also unphased by him.

"The Daedra are immortal beings who chose to not help create the Mundus." I responded, scoffing at her stupidity.

"Ah, it's good to see that at least one of you has some knowledge of the immortals." Hermaeus Mora said, slowly. _What's with the condescending, slow speech?_

"Of course, anyone who doesn't is stupid." I responded, holding my chin high in pride and in recognition of his compliment.

"But of course, you're still among the dullest of stones compared to some of those who I have contacted before." Hermaeus Mora said, slowly.

"...What?" I asked, my pride shattered with one sentence.

"It is simple, you simply only know the tiniest fraction of the tiniest fraction of what there is to be known." Hermaeus Mora said, slowly.

I had no response, my pride that I always held high was crushed on the ground.

"You broke Weiss…" Ruby commented.

"But...I could assist you in that matter, if you assist me." Hermaeus Mora said, slowly.

"What would you require from me?" I perked up.

"Ever since you arrived here, the knowledge of your world has been just beyond my grasp. The thought of having such a vast pool of knowledge kept just out of my reach is...maddening." Hermaeus Mora said, slowly.

"All you want is information on Remnant?" I asked, shocked at this sudden development.

"So that's what it's called...Remnant...such a fitting name for a world I know nothing of. But no, I do not just require simple information." Hermaeus Mora said, slowly.

"What do you want to know then?" I was unsure where this was heading.

"Everything." Hermaeus Mora said, in a slow but slightly harsh tone.

"Do you want me to just tell you everything I know, or how are you going to get the information?" I asked it. Him. Whatever it is.

"Your small mind can't hold all that is known and unknown about your world, or even this one. I require _everything_ known and unknown. Supply me this, and you'll be richly rewarded." Hermaeus Mora said, slowly.

I didn't respond. The rest of my team was staring at me.

"I can see that you'll need some time to think about this. Very well. I will contact you again soon, but... I will be watching you four with even more detail now." Hermaeus Mora said, slowly.

And just as quickly as he/it appeared, he/it vanished into thin air. With that _interesting_ event past us, we walked in silence out of Septimus' cave.

We hopped back on the "borrowed" boat and navigated the ice like a skier on a slalom, the prow swinging left and right at its own desires. Only a few minutes after we left, it seemed that the height of the college poked through the clouds, casting an ominous shadow upon us all. We hiked back up the mountain and back through the roads of Winterhold.

I casually stroll into the Arcaneum and walk towards Urag.

"Back so soon? What, was he dead or something?" Urag asked.

"No. I wanted to know if you know where Alftand is." I told him.

"Alftand? Why do you need to know where that is?" Urag asked.

"Because that's one of the places that Septimus told us to look." I told him, trying to hide the majority of the truth.

"Alright, it's southwest of here. Be careful though, the majority of it has collapsed into the glacier. Heck, I'm not even positive if there's a way inside anymore." Urag said.

"Can you point it out on my map?" I ask him, pushing my map towards him.

"Sure." Urag said, taking my map.

After a minute of analyzing the map, Urag marked where he thought Alftand was.

"Even if it's not right where I marked, it should be somewhere near that area." Urag said, handing the map back to me.

"Thank you very much!" I tell him, as I make my way out.

"Now hold on just one moment!" Urag yelled as I began walking down the stairs.

I stopped and walked backwards. "Yes?"

"Those Dwarven ruins...they're always hiding something. Be careful and watch your back, never know when one of their automatons will jump out at ya." Urag said, sternly.

"Oh trust me, I know." I say to him, remembering the ruins I walked through to get here.

Urag grunted and waved me off, his reason for conversation spent.

"Alright we have the general area of Alftand." I tell my team, circling around the place on the map with my finger.

"'General area'?" Yang asked me.

"Well it's somewhere around that area." I told her.

"Okay, Weiss…" Yang trailed off, not convinced that we know where we're going.

We got to where Urag marked on the map and saw a single building off in the distance that was the style of the ruins we went through. We walked up and saw a partially destructed camp, a single burnt body stuck out of a collapsed tent. Buildings with collapsed roofs ringed the camp. When I stood on the edge of the crevasse, I saw a single standing building at the bottom and a couple collapsed ones. But what really caught my eye was the ruins poking out of the glacier. Two towers seemed to deny the advance of ice and stood out against the whitish-blue ice with their brass colored roofs and dark grey walls.

"There's a path. Let's head down it." Blake said, pointing at a wooden bridge descending into the glacier. And so we walked down the path and into the glacier, treading lightly across the old bridge.

* * *

 **/AN: Sup guys! I hope you enjoyed the chapter! My friends and I will be taking a quick break over the weekend, but after that, the normal schedule should resume. See you guys in the next chapter! (Which should be the longest one yet!)**


	10. The Path of Bloodied Ruin

**Chapter 10: The Path of Bloodied Ruin**

 ** _Yang's Perspective_**

My breath blossomed out in front of me as we walked through a small gap in the glacier. I instantly noticed that the ice carried throughout the tunnel we entered. The crunching of footsteps upon ice filled the air as we dodged overturned carts laying in the middle of the path. After dodging the last cart, Ruby pointed out a couple of fur bedrolls and a pile of wood that looked like it would've been used for a campfire, but sat unscathed. Blake noticed a chest and opened it up. She came back holding a Ring of Minor Magicka, a Silver Ring and 35 Septims. I barely lifted my head, and I noticed a large amount of blood on the ice and on a camp, much like the one we stood at. It couldn't have been broken for very long because the blood still oozed on the ice and fell into our tracks as we walked past it.

"W-What happened h-here?" Ruby asked quietly, stuttering from shock. No one knew how to respond.

The trail of blood didn't stop there, so neither did we. We tip-toed down a steep slope, trying our best to not step too heavily in the blood that coats the ice. We reached a wooden platform, but the blood that was on it was different than the ones that led here, it seemed to have held a dead body recently. We were shocked to see all the blood, but with the opportunity to go home staring us in the face, we pushed on. Slowly, we began to recognize the type of ruin we went through in Remnant. As we reached a left turn, we saw a broken pipe hung on the ceiling. Water poured out of the large fissure in the pipe, causing a puddle to form on the flat part of the walkway. The water slid down the slope of the walkway, turning at the various pillars and stopping when it flattened out again. Blake led us down the slope, walking parallel to the water that slid down the slope. Once at the bottom, we noticed one of the Spider-Bots that attacked Jaune. _Speaking of which_ , _where_ is _Team JNPR?_ I refocus on the Spider-Bot and see that it is recently broken because steam still unfurls off the sparking wires. I was pulled from staring by Ruby screaming and a loud smashing sound. Apparently, a different Spider-Bot snuck up on us and pulled on Ruby's cape.

By the time I saw what the loud smashing sound was, Crescent Rose was held in the air above a large broken part in the flooring, which I assume is where the noise came from. Ruby swung Crescent Rose , but at the same time the Spider-Bot leapt up and attacked her, deftly avoiding a most gruesome end from the force of a surprised Ruby. Ruby jumped out of her skin when the Spider-Bot dodged the attack, so the Spider-Bot missed Ruby. It was a Cat-and-Mouse between Ruby and the robot.

Weiss glyphed over and had a swipe at the bot, but it did no more than dent the armor. Blake ran over and tried to coax it towards Ruby to get smashed. It instead leapt at Weiss, who promptly screamed in surprise. Weiss tried to use her Dust abilities on her rapier, but was too shaky to hit the bot correctly. I'd like to say that I was helping in all of this, but I was really laughing so hard my stomach hurts only a few feet away.

Finally, after what seemed to be an eternity, Blake coaxed the Spider-Bot over to Ruby, who smashed it gratefully.

"On the bright side killing it didn't take _three_ days!" I sarcastically say with a upbeat tone.

"Shut up." Blake responded.

"All this ice is m-making me cold." Weiss said, hugging herself to stop her from shivering.

"Two things. One, you're the Ice Queen, how could you get cold? Two, we were talking about your bullocks job taking care of the Spider-Bot." I tease her.

"She changed the conversation to make herself look stupid. I can get used to that!" Blake joked.

Even Ruby laughed at her.

"We have a ruin to get through." Weiss told us as her voice cracked from anger and embarrassment.

We walked single-file through the next area from lack of space. Blake led, Ruby took up second in-line, I followed Ruby (like a good sister should) and Weiss followed behind me, fuming from our comments. We reached an open room, which had a worktable and _another_ bloody campsite. _Was someone on their period or something?_

We split up. Blake ran over to a gated area that seemed to hold something important which lay on the far side of the room. Weiss stood over the worktable, with dissected Spider-bots, and read some dude's journal that was on the table. I found a bedroll that wasn't covered in blood and layed down on it. _I carried them up until here, I deserve a break._ Ruby spotted a tunnel which went to God-knows-where and looked around to see what was inside. As soon as Ruby entered the tunnel, she ran back and ran to me.

"Th-There-were-two-d-dead-people-in-the-other-room." Ruby stuttered as she spoke extremely fast.

"Hold on. What was in the other room?" I asked her, holding my hands up to show her to slow down her words.

"Dead… cat-people." Ruby said, slowly.

I waved over Blake and Weiss.

"Let's go check this out." I told them, walking over to where Ruby just came from.

I lead them towards the tunnel tentatively. I peeked around the corner of the entrance and nearly vomited. The sight of two dead cat-people lying in pools of their own blood got to me, somehow. It was nauseating.

I turn to everyone. "Yup. There's two dead people." I calmly say, or as calmly as I could sound. Ruby nodded solemnly in response.

"I want to see." Weiss said, clearly not trusting Ruby's or I's words.

She went in and returned immediately.

"I don't see why you need to make a fuss about it." She told us, with her usual Holier-Than-Thou attitude.

"Well, if there's dead people-" Blake was cut off by Weiss.

" _They're called_ "Khajiits". Weiss corrected Blake.

"The dead people are Khajiits?" Blake asked, leaning over to try and see in.

"Clearly." Weiss sasses Blake.

"Whatever, Weiss. Well, let's keep moving." Blake told us, walking into tunnel.

We follow after her. I tried to obscure Ruby's view of the corpses. I never once smelt decay, that means they weren't dead long.

We stepped over the bodies of the two dead Khajiits and continued on down the tunnel. I heard Ruby apologize to the both of them for their being dead. Only a few feet from the dead people lay a table with a broken Spider-Bot and a journal. We walked past it, but Weiss snatched up the journal and tucked it in her purse, or wherever she holds her stuff. We saw a set of stairs leading up to a circular platform and had a light in the center. Once we walked up the stairs, I realized it had something else on it. It had two broken robots that had a sword attached to one hand and circular base. _Huh. A robot that has a circle on a circular platform._

"Good thing we didn't have to fight those things." Blake comments as she crouched next to a robot.

"Yeah, no kidding. We'd have had a hard time fighting those." Ruby agrees.

"It just occured to me. Do you guys know why there are dead things everywhere?" I asked them, thoughts flaring in search of an answer.

"I would assume it's because the Dragonborn is ahead of us." Weiss replies, inspecting a nearby piston that releases a burst of steam with each thrust.

"That's convenient. Just follow the dead things." Ruby comments bitterly.

"Do you think the Dragonborn killed the two Khajiits?" Blake asked us all.

"Maybe. He's at least few hours ahead of us, and the bodies weren't decaying yet." I reply.

"Well, it is also cold. That could delay the decaying process." Ruby told us.

"One of them did seem to be fresher than the other." Weiss chimes in from the other side of the room.

"That could explain it. But for now we have to catch up to the Dragonborn." I tell everyone.

After reaching the other side of the platform, I noticed a large pile of rubble lying near an arched entranceway to my right. On the left, was a table with trinkets on it and pistons firing off behind it. In front of it was a single piston, which Weiss was inspecting. The piston rocketed out of the ground in a burst of steam and shot back down almost immediately after extending, and vice-versa. We went down the only path further in, and I noticed a carpet lining the path. It was red with gold accenting lines criss-crossing on the material. It was intact in some places, and decayed in others. We walk through without any problems and ended up in a room full of rubble.

"What's with all this stuff here?" I asked the room.

"Hey, there's some broken Dwarven Spiders." Blake called out, pointing towards a broken robot.

"There's a forge…" Ruby said from the corner of the room.

"Is it lit?" I ask her, turning and seeing a burning forge.

"Yes it is." Ruby replied, lighting small sticks on fire.

" _Why_ would there be a _forge_ in a place like this?" Weiss asked hotly.

"Well, people needed stuff to forge obviously." Ruby answered her.

"But how is it still burning?" Weiss asked as if she had Ruby in checkmate.

"The people who built this probably were far more advanced than Remnant, it only follows that they could have something burn indefinitely." Ruby explained.

I tuned out as soon as Weiss stopped making sense in her arguments. I instead checked out the broken Spider-Bots that Blake pointed out. After I saw numerous dents and scratches, I concluded that it was broken by a sword and shield. I turned my attention to a locked gate on the other side of the room. On the inside it had a couple weird looking pipes that seemed to open and vent out steam on the top. On the right side of the room had a rack with cups and plates. I don't think that a vent and a dining set would fetch a decent amount of money at a shop. I left it there, intact, because I would lose money breaking in and taking everything.

I brought everyone together and talked to them about what we should so with the gated room.

"So, do we want to get into the gated room or keep going?" I asked them.

"Is there anything worth getting in the gated room?" Blake asked me.

"Not really." I reply.

"The amount of good stuff in that room is the same amount of chance that the people who built this place were smart." Weiss pompously said, glancing at Ruby to show it was pointed at her.

"Shut up, Weiss, I'm trying to get home." Ruby shot back.

I cleared my throat. "So any objection of continuing on?" I asked them.

Blake and Ruby shook their heads and Weiss just looked like she was thinking of a way to outwit Ruby about the forge.

We walked through the door and saw a large set of stairs with pillars that had faces carved in them. Once we reached the top, we noticed a large brass gate and a slightly raised platform with another one of the vents on it. It sat casually behind a pressure plate. This obviously isn't something we should mess with. I ignored the vent and ushered everyone down the path.

"Hey, check out the cool pistons over us!" Ruby exclaimed, pointing excitedly to the pistons moving back and forth.

"There's a gate on the sides that I can see down into." Blake says, leaning over and looking into the gates.

"This is _one weird place_." I comment.

At the end of the path was a set of stars which led to a fork. To the left was an open door and a pipe, to the right was a table with trinkets on it. In front of me was a step with a section of flooring at the same height. Two pillars stood at the two back corners. They had the same face carved into them as the last few had. _Must either be their leader or their god. Or both._ Next to the pillars were rack with more dining set materials and a few cogs. They weren't worth much either, so I ignored them. Blake walked over to the table on the right and stopped when she noticed a broken Spider-Bot. She stood by the table and I saw a plate, a gyro-thing, and a vent. Blake grabbed something on the table that I didn't noticed and walked away from the table. She walked over to Ruby and put it in her hands with a mocking "To add to your collection".

"Alright, let's head through the only door." I told everyone, motioning to the left.

We went over to the door and turned right. I looked down to the left and noticed the room that we went through with the Circle-Bots. We walked along and dodged pistons pumping across the pathway. At the end of the side of the room, there was a broken Spider-Bot. _Thank Talos for the Dragonborn; he's doing all the hard work for us!_ We turned left at the end and dodged the pistons much like we did the first ones. We found _another_ dead Spider-Bot. _This isn't clearing, this is slaughter._ We turned left and walked down the path that was, happily, piston free. It ended with a pipe blocking the edge. There was a door on the wall that had been written on in an odd language. Blake and I tried to read what it said. We must've been reading longer than we thought we were.

"Oh come on. This isn't some extremely complex thing! I'm bored! Let's keep going." Weiss complained.

"We are trying our best!" I snap at her.

"I have an idea. Weiss, how about you try to read it?" Blake says, anger dripping from her voice.

Weiss walked up to the door, looked at it briefly and opened it. She walked through right after it was open.

"Well, come on then." Weiss said from the other side of the threshold.

 _ **Alftand Animonculory**_

Upon walking in, I noticed that above the walkway, with the stone in the center and gates on either side, a piston pumped back and forth, like in the rooms prior to this one. Three gears turned above the door and another set of three rotating not too far from the door on the left side of the hallway. Steam hung quietly over the gates that lined the pathway, giving an already mechanized room seem more like a workshop. Only twenty or so feet from the door are two hallways that cut off from the center one. The one on the right was collapsed, so we couldn't go through it. The left room, however, was a bedroom. A bed with a pelt blanket and a stone base sat on the left side of the room. On the right a large section of rubble claimed numerous feet of space. In the central section of the far wall were two stone tables. _Man, these dwarves love stone._ A vent sat in between the two tables, making the room seem very carefully planned out, save the pile of rubble in the right corner. The tables were covered in a conglomeration of items. On the left table sat a large section of metal, brass colored, the seemed to be like those in the robots and architecture in these ruins, and in others; there was also a brass gear, with a fair number of teeth on them, much like the gears we saw in the foyer of this section of the ruins; the last item, and the most confusing of them all, was a shield, center-grip, that seemed to be made of the shell of a crustacean, under the handle was a bunch of ribs that looked like the gills of a fish. I quickly looked over to the other table to survey what was on it. A helm laid on the table. It looked similar to the shield on the other, but the shield was like a claw, and the helm was the face. Very weird. _The dwarves loves stone_ and _crustacean-esque armor._ Ignoring the _extremely odd_ armor on the table, I checked out the three other items on the table. Behind the helm, sat a section of rounded metal, brass in color, that held an uncanny resemblance to the rounded sections of metal on the Circle-Bots. _Maybe they_ are _the same kind of part._ Near the helm were another rounded section of metal, but it was smaller and dented. There was also a lever made of brass. Not too impressive, but it looked like it could get the job done.

"So… Any ideas on what the shell armor is?" Ruby asked, scrutinizing the shield.

"Maybe it's the types of armor that the Dwemer used." Blake speculated.

"I don't know. All the dwarven stuff that we've seen thus far have been made of brass." I commented in response to Blake.

"Maybe they liked brass for their architecture and mechanisms, but didn't like it for armor." Blake put forth.

"You're all wrong. Dwarven armor is made of brass. This is from some kind of creature that inhabits this ruin." Weiss scoffed from the doorway.

"Whatever, Weiss." I reply to Weiss with an undertone of anger, seeing as she ended a constructive conversation.

We headed down the path in silence, mainly because we didn't want to be insulted by Weiss again. The doors at the end of the hallway sat open and inviting to the room behind them. We all walked in and looked around. There was nothing special in the room, in my opinion. When Ruby walked in, she froze like a deer in headlights. I looked at her to see what she was staring at, but before I could fixate on what it was she saw, she dragged me over to it. The gates on this side of the room had an opening in them that would allow someone to walk through them. Ruby pulled me through the gap and I instantly saw what she was staring at before. A puddle of blood clung to the floor and ran slowly in the small gaps. The blood led to the left, so that's where I was dragged. Ruby's face of fear never left for one second as I was pulled through puddles of blood and knocked into pipes that ran vertically. Once we reached the far end of the tunnel, for lack of better words, we turned left and saw a man in a rugged and dirty tunic lying next to a vent. Near his right hand was a journal, probably his, a piece of charcoal and two lockpicks. I walked over and crouched next to him and grabbed the lockpicks and brushed off the charcoal to read the contents of his journal. I glanced back at Ruby and saw a face of pure horror. I looked closer at Ruby and saw that her hands grabbed the opposite arm like one would hold themselves when they are cold, but I knew that this wasn't the case here. I looked back at the journal to see how he died and maybe bring comfort to Ruby.

" _The eyeless creatures took us in our sleep. I don't know what happened to the Khajiit_ _brothers, we never saw them in the cell. I managed to pick the lock and we made a break for it, but got split up. Sulla_ _yelled something about not leaving without finding what he came here for and Umana_ _chased after him._

 _Yag_ _and I tried for the top of the cave shaft, but one of the ramps was broken. Without a hesitation, she grabbed me by the scruff of my tunic, threw me atop the ledge and told me to run._

 _And I did._

 _I didn't even look back._

 _I just ran like a coward._

 _I could hear her fighting them and I just had to get away. I didn't even notice the arrow in my shoulder till I hid here._

 _Those metal creatures are still all around me and I'm too terrified to even move._

 _Eight Divines, please just take me now._ "

I felt myself shaking as I put the journal down. I slowly turned my head to his dead body and, sure enough, there was an arrow with something other than blood dripping off of it. I stood up and walked over to Ruby pulling her into a hug.

"It's alright. He's in a better place now." I murmured to her.

"Now come on, let's head back to the group." I told her, breaking the hug.

As we walked back, I mentioned to Ruby the fact that there was going to be a dead orc girl somewhere beyond this point. She nodded and looked like she was preparing herself for the coming dead person.

"So, what did you guys see?" Blake asked jokingly.

"A lot of things, the most important of which is a journal that mentioned a blind race of creatures that are intelligent and accurate with a bow and arrow." I dodged the mention of the dead dude.

"So if we are going to fight these blind creatures, then we are going to have to come up with a plan for fighting them." Blake responds, moving past _why_ there was a journal with this information in there.

"Maybe I can use my glyphs to distract them while one of you closes in and fights it." Weiss offers.

"That might work, but what if they hear us coming? They're blind, so obviously their other senses are going to be sharpened." I replied.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Plus, If it turns on whoever is attacking it, then I can glyph over and stab their back." Weiss explains.

"Alright, good plan. But we have to encounter them if these plans are to work, and that means that we have to move forward from here in order to do so." I told them. Everyone nodded.

We started to head out and I noticed a broken Spider-Bot, but it's dead, so we didn't need to worry about it. We headed up the stairs and a broken Circle-Bot was not too far from a pipe protruding from the wall. Again, it's dead so we didn't need to worry about it. On the left side of the room, there were gates which separated apparent work stations. On the tables in the work stations, there were parts and pieces of the robots on them. One thing that was out of the ordinary around this area were the black mounds of stuff with blue eggs on them. Blake walked over and crouched next to one of the piles.

"I don't think these are a plant, nor are they any kind of egg that I have ever seen." Blake said as she stared at them.

"I don't know either. But at this point, if it doesn't directly affect us, then it isn't any of my concern." I replied, trying to force us along.

"She's right. The Dragonborn could already have the Elder Scroll and if not then he is very close. We shouldn't waste time staring at the odd things that we find." Ruby agreed.

We walked past the eggs and in between the pipes and the gate. Once we cleared the gate, there was a ramp heading up to the next area with stairs on the parts next to the wall. The most notable thing about the ramps were the pressure plates that were on either side of a raised section of stone. Clearly, the pressure plates did _something_ , I just didn't know what. We all hugged the wall to avoid finding out what the pressure plates did.

The next area was surrounded on either side by gate. On the bright side, it showed us where we were going.

"These gates are making me claustrophobic. I'm used to large rooms." Weiss complained.

"Yeah, the large rooms in the mansion, paid for from the money stolen from the Faunus." Blake shot at her. Weiss opened her mouth to argue, but I jumped in right before she said anything.

"Shut up, both of you."

We turned when the gates turned and we noticed that it opened up to fresh air. We walked out and looked all around. We were standing on a platform that was suspended over a large cylinder shaped hole in the ground. The only thing that we could do was follow the platform. It didn't go too far, just over to a doorway that was collapsed beyond the first few feet. I quickly glanced at the broken Spider-Bot lying amongst the rubble. The walkway spiraled and finally straightened out around a door and a ledge. Blake checked out the door and told us about broken lockpicks around it. I leaned over the ledge and saw the dead orc girl that was mentioned in the journal. I quickly told Ruby that this is where the orc girl is. She nodded and seemed to be in more control now that she knew about the dead person. We all glanced at each other and readied ourselves to jump down. There were no other options. It was jump down, or don't go home. I looked at everyone and then looked at the platform below us. I swallowed in nervousness, but it didn't calm me down at all. _Now or never._ My feet left the ledge and the platform came hurdling towards me.

My feet landed in a small puddle of blood, covering my legs in small blood droplets. I didn't even need to look up to know that it was the blood from the dead Orc girl. To my right, near a large pile of rubble, not the one I was standing on, the parts from a Spider-Bot were scattered with arrows, much like the one in the shoulder of Endrast, lodged in the upper part of the main section of it. Around the corner from the Spider-Bot was a dead _thing_. I had no idea what it was, but I didn't have time to look closely at it because everyone else had leapt down.

Weiss and Blake stared at the dead orc girl and were whispering questions about who she was and why she was there to each other. Ruby stood near the wall that had the ledge taking deep breaths to calm her down. She may have been warned about her, but she clearly was still affected by it.

"You doing alright, kiddo?" I asked her after I walked over to her.

"Much better than if I wasn't warned about it." She told me without looking up. "Thanks for doing that." She said quickly after a short pause.

"Hey, it's what I do." I told her enthusiastically, patting her on the back. She smiled in response. I walked back to Weiss and Blake and told them that we needed to keep moving. I motioned for Ruby to join us and she pushed off the wall and walked over to us.

Weiss was the first one on the platform and said in extreme confusion and distaste " _What_ is _that_?!"

I jogged over to where she was so that I could see what she was looking at. She was standing over the creature from before with her mouth open in shock and her eyes glaring in disgust. The creature lay with its knees against its chest, its hands in awkward positions. The left hand clutched a bow which had green circles in the riser that made the upper and lower limbs look like small crustaceans. In the center of the upper limb was a section of string that was wrapped in such a fashion that the string crossed in the center of the wrap. The hand that grasped the bow was pale gray and had long, sharp nails. The skin was almost opaque due to its paleness. The pale gray color went throughout the creature, with the exception of where the eyes should be and the knees. The eyes, or the lack thereof, were red-pink on the skin. The wrinkles which were there made it seem like the eyes were removed at one point in its life. The ears were pointed, much like an elf, and went out from the head so that you would see the full shape of them if you looked it straightforward. The nose had nostrils that were long and thin. The nose was flat to the point that it looked like it didn't have a nose at all. The body wasn't overly muscular, but it looked like it could get the job done. Green veins were visible through skin. It had green cloth over its genitalia. _Thank Talos._ It had bracers and a jockstrap made of the crustacean material. On the thighs had a string-like material wrapped around it that made it look similar to the bow that was clutched in its cold, dead hand. It had slashes across its chest in an X that were clearly what killed it. Upon further inspection, it also had smaller scratches on its shins, which probably came from the Spider-Bot. I was done with looking at a dead body, so I looked around at the scenery while everyone one else gawked at it.

"I think it's the 'eyeless creatures' that were mentioned in that one journal." Ruby commented from her position around the dead creature.

"Journal?" Weiss perked up at its mention.

"It was a journal written by a dead friend of the dead woman over there." I replied, pointing towards the orc girl.

Blake nodded.

"Do you still have it?" Weiss asked, almost happily.

"Nope." I told her, showing her my journal-less pack.

Weiss looked at me incredulously.

"You didn't save it for me?!" She asked, furious at my lack of the journal.

"I noticed your habit of taking journals, but no, Weiss, I didn't save it for you." I said, almost as cold as her reputation is.

"Well, you should've saved it for me." Weiss said loftily.

"Weiss, shut up." Ruby told her. Weiss opened her mouth to speak, but Ruby cut her off. "I said 'shut up'." Weiss just glared angrily at Ruby. I smiled at Ruby and gave her a thumbs up while Weiss' back was turned to me.

"Well, that Elder Scroll isn't just going to wait patiently for us." Blake said during the long pause after Ruby spoke.

We continued down that paths that hung in the air like morning fog as it spiraled around the central pillar. Not too far down the path was a piston which was extended across the path, leaving a small gap near the edge that was big enough for only one person to walk through. Blake and Ruby walked through the gap and by the time that Ruby passed through, the piston retracted. Weiss and I then rejoined our group on the path. We walked only a few feet down the path before it flattened out. Water fell from high above the platform from a broken pipe and crashed onto the path with, seemingly, tremendous force. Weiss walked through the downpour, as did I. Ruby dashed through it and shivered a little when she made it to the other side of the water. Blake however stood still, almost as if she was petrified on the spot.

"I-I'm n-not going th-through that." Blake stutters.

I laughed so hard I nearly fell off the platform. Blake stiffened even more when she heard me laugh.

Blake solved her problem by shimmying along the wall and trying to not get wet. It worked more than walking through the water. She meowed when the water started dripping on her shoulders and splashing up on her legs. She threw herself past the last section of water and looked slightly proud of herself for forcing herself through that _ordeal_.

Weiss and I gave her a slow, sarcastic clap that made her look upset. Ruby on the other hand clapped genuinely paired with a face of awe and a smile. That only served to make her look more uncomfortable.

We noticed blue-grey panels lining the path as well as a three claw trap that was already sprung. The claws looks shockingly similar to the bow of the eyeless creature. _Speak of the devil._ In between the panels and the pipe on the wall, were two dead eyeless creatures, slashes sprinkled across their chests. We stepped over their bodies and continued down the path. Within a couple seconds walk, we found a doorway with a flame shooting down from the top of the doorway.

"So… How are we going to get around that?" Ruby asked.

As soon as Ruby asked, the fire stopped. We all looked at each other and decided to just walk through it while we could. I was the last one through and I felt the heat from the fire as it turned on right after I walked through. At the end of the room that we entered was a weird thing that was open at the top and made of the same material as the panels up on the platform we just passed. I decided to ignore it for now and kept walking. On the left were three workstations, separated by a gate, covered in miscellaneous tools and materials. We walked closer to the weird thing and saw that it was a hut. Blake and I quickly walked down the stairs to check it out, but were stopped by a dead body of an eyeless creature. We ignored it and peered into the hut. There was a single bag like thing in the hut. Ruby called out and told us about another dead eyeless creature by another hut.

"The other hut was weirder." Blake said as we walked over to the other one.

"As if." Weiss scoffed.

It had another weird bag on the outside of it but with hay on the inside. A dead eyeless creature lay outside the opening, cut down where it stood.

As we walked around the next room, a very large, very dead, rat sat in the threshold.

"So, are we just going to ignore this giant rat?" Ruby asked, slightly creeped out by it.

Blake was unphased, Weiss was skittish when she saw it. Me? I kicked it across the room and laughed as it bounced on the gate in front of us and landed in the room ahead.

"Aaaand there it goes." Ruby comments.

We continued down the antechamber, if you could call it that, and turned left to see a set of stairs. At the bottom of them were a couple eyeless creatures, who had some burn marks on them, and a hut in the corner of the opposite wall. _How'd they get burnt?_ Almost as if in answer to my question, fire shot out of the pipe to the left of the stairs. As well as a second pipe at the center of the room. We found a small route, adorned by a couple bones on a string hanging down on it. Around the corner was a hut along with a large fire and an anvil. I quickly turned my head and glared at Weiss. We all didn't want another argument.

"Why are all of these sections of armor and mechanisms still in pristine condition?" Weiss asked, pointing to the rack full of miscellaneous things.

"Well, the Dwarves were, and are, known for superior craftsmanship." Blake comments.

"Ugh, why are we just standing around while we have to keep moving?" Weiss asked. We all tried to contain our laughter at her lousy excuse for a brush off of Blake's comment.

We walked into the next room, which was very cramped. A set of stairs on our left led to an isolated area above us, so we took the stairs in front of us down into the room beyond. The metallic smell of blood hit my nose. We all looked at each other with a grimace, showing our distaste towards the smell of blood which filled this room. At the bottom of the stairs was a room to the right which, in the center of a massive pool of blood, was a lever. We ignored the room and turned left. After seeing what was in it, my hand shot up to cover Ruby's eyes. It didn't work. She was the first one to turn. She has seen the blood, the dead woman in shackles, her skin and muscles piled next to her dead body, and the numerous dead eyeless creatures. Not to mention the spare torture device. _What was this room even for?_

"C'mon, guys, let's get out of this room." I say, my voice shattering the silence which hung over the room.

At the door out, there was a dead eyeless creature. _Thank Talos for the ledge on the platform, or else these things would be everywhere on the upper levels._

We walked down the path, but noticed that in the courtyard below us were two dead eyeless creature and a very large Frostbite Spider. Once we got close to the stairs that led to the courtyard, we were greeted by the dead body of an eyeless creature.

"What's with all the dead stuff?" I asked everyone.

"I don't know and I don't like it." Ruby replied quietly.

"I agree with Ruby." Blake said, staring at the dead things in the courtyard.

We entered the only open, and standing, door in the courtyard. We followed the path, which lead to a set of stairs, no traps _Thank Talos_ , but there was a sprung trap in the room beyond the stairs. It was like the trap that was on the upper levels. But the door beyond was much more interesting. It was exactly like the door that led us to here, except the words on it were slightly different. I walked up to attempt to read it, but was cut off.

"I am not dealing with this again." Weiss said as she threw open the door, causing the rest of us to follow after her.

 _ **Alftand Cathedral**_

The room we entered was vastly different than the one before it. The last one was surrounded by stuff; cobwebs, pillars, gates, faces made of stone and mechanisms. This room just had a collapsed gate, which seemed to have closed off a room with two chairs in it, and a walkway with pressure plates on it. The one with the broken gate was closed off on all sides except the broken gate, so we walked around the pressure plates and into a very large area. Before reaching the large area I kicked a torch which was near a dead eyeless creature. I ignored it and continued on.

Dust fell from the roof lightly, almost like snow. There was a large building in the center of the cavern which had a church-like feel. It had a single tower that overlooked the entirety of the area before it, like a hawk perched on the top of the tallest tree in the forest. One story below the top of the building was a section of wall which had numerous buildings inside it, but they all stayed at the same height. To the right of the main tower was a tower, but it continued into the roof and had pipes along its side. It is probably a ventilation shaft. This was surrounded by a wall, stopping only for a gate, which was open, as it continued around the complex in silent defiance to all potential attackers on the building. But with the gate open wide, it was like the wall was missing a piece of armor. To the right of the wall were two smaller buildings, one collapsed and one standing, but with the inside collapsed. In front of the two building and closest to the wall was a hut like the ones that housed the eyeless creatures. _Speak of the devil._ Two dead eyeless creatures lay strewn on the ground around the wall, blood dripping from the wounds sustained by the person, or thing, that killed them. Not too far from the hut was a dead, normally sized Frostbite Spider _I guess it's actually a baby, seeing as there are larger ones._ To the left were two huts, one was fairly close to the gate and the other was tucked away next to a set of stairs which led to a raised platform above the walkway we entered from. Right in front of the gate was a small stone basin which probably held some kind of liquid at some point. Maybe since this was their church, this basin held their Holy Water. I couldn't be too certain, since the Dwarves were no longer around to answer my question.

We walked through the open entryway and saw the extravagant staircase that leads up to a courtyard that had two large robots standing at attention on each side. One still stood in place, the other was slashed and bent, it clearly was awake when the Dragonborn went through here because there were still sparks shooting out of it and oil still dripped out of the slashed parts.

"What is that thing?" Weiss asked, shocked by its size.

"A big robot." Blake replied. Ruby and I laughed.

"I know that, but what _is_ it?" Weiss asked again.

"A big robot that was broken." Ruby replied. Blake winked at Ruby and I laughed again.

"Ugh! I just want to get through this place! Hurry it up!" Weiss shouted at us, storming off to the next room. We all laughed quietly as she stomped up the stairs

We caught up to Weiss once we reached the room at the top of the stairs and saw two dead people in front of a room with a lever, much like the one in the Torture Room from earlier. One of the dead was a male Nord with Imperial armor. _Nothing ironic about that…_ The other was a Redguard woman who was dressed in regular clothes, but with an intimidating looking shield. They lay like they had fought against each other, but something was nagging in the back of my head that it said that maybe they didn't kill each other. We saw a spiraling set of stairs which led down into the ground. Because the other room probably was useless, we decided to go down. Once we reached the bottom, we saw a closed door with the weird language on it. Weiss didn't even think twice before shoving the doors open like she does it everyday.

"So we just have to find a large tower right?" I asked Blake while I stood at the door.

"Seems like it, yeah." She replied.

"Good, because I am getting a little tired of all this walking." I joke.

"Alright, let's go find Weiss." I tell them, heading through the door.

* * *

 **/AN: Hey guys! It's been quite the wait, but there's a reason behind that. My friends and I haven't had as much time recently to work on this, so therefor I haven't been able to upload anything to sate your appetites either. But, since today happens to be my birthday, I managed to get the day off of work and used this ti,me to bring you guys our longest chapter yet! Please enjoy and see you next time!**


	11. Into the Dragon's Tower

**/AN: Sup guys! Now you're probably wondering why I put the AN at the top this time. Well, it's for two reasons. The first being that I would ike to apologise for the walls of text last chapter, I tried to go back and change it, but it didn't really _feel_ right, you know? Secondly, I would like to briefly warn you guys that yes, there are walls of text this chapter, but not to the same degree. This should be the last chapter where that happens for a while, and my friends and I are trying our best to reduce the likelyhood of them poping up in the future. Now then, please enjoy one of my personal favorite chapters so far! See you in the next chapter!**

* * *

 **Chapter 11: Into the Dragon's Tower**

 ** _Blake's Perspective_**

We found ourselves in a dimly lit hallway with a closed door at the end. We hesitantly approached the door and slowly pushed it open. We stepped out into the night sky with stars sparkling in the sky and snow gently falling to the ground and landing without a sound. But we weren't above ground; We were underground. The stars were some kind of material I had never seen, the snow was dust and I was completely shocked at what I saw. Large jellyfish shaped things lit up the air at different points around the cavern. A cobbled street led lazily through hills and over small creeks. A small stone house sat in front of us, which was the only one still standing on the street. The only other one on the street was partially collapsed, with a dead Circle-Bot in front of it. Off to our far left was a building with a large spire which reached all the way up to the top of the cavern, and possibly beyond. A rather large building sat near the tall spire, looking like a fort in front of a skyscraper.

"Well, this is _not_ what I expected." I comment, staring at the ceiling.

" _I_ expected this." Weiss scoffed tossing her head to the side, sending her hair swinging after her head.

"None of us can be as perfect as _you_ , Weiss." Yang said sarcastically.

Weiss flipped her hair in appreciation for Yang noticing. We all giggled at her.

We walked past a mounted crossbow on the left corner of the terrace we entered into and continued to the right. Weiss led us down a set of stairs and past the dead Dwarven Sphere. Once we reached the bottom of the stairs, we took a look around and saw that the path went to both our left and right.

"I think that we should go to the left." Weiss commented.

"I don't know, the left is looking pretty populated, so maybe that's the way we want to go." Ruby responded.

"I second what my sister said." Yang chimed in.

"Not to mention that the right is covered in water." I say.

"Left it is then!" Yang exclaimed, walking down the path to the left. Weiss grumbled to herself as we down the path that would keep us dry.

We walked for a few feet to the left before we reached a fork in the road. Straight forward was the spire and to the right was a path that led farther into Blackreach. I didn't think that the Tower of Mzark would be so close to the entrance to Blackreach, but everyone else was celebrating.

"I think we found the Tower of Mzark!" Weiss said excitedly. Ruby and Yang mirrored her excitement, however I did not share in it.

"Guys, Septimus Signus said that the Tower was deep in Blackreach, and this is right near the entrance. Not to mention that the gate is closed." I told them, deflating their festive mood.

"Buzzkill." Yang jokingly said to me. Weiss, however, was serious in her anger against my buzzkilling.

Ruby led us down the path to the right. I took a glance at what was on the sides of the road. Large hunks of a blue-white crystal that glowed with a dull luminescence. Small patches of grass surrounded the crystals like a silent guard. Off to the left was the fort from before, but up close I noticed more things about it. Specifically the two dead Eyeless Creatures, whose bodies hang off the building, arrows sticking out of numerous places on them. _At least I know we are going the right way._ Directly in front of us on the road was one of the massive robots that we saw in the Cathedral and a very large bug thing laying on an Eyeless Creature.

The bug-thing looked like a… _bug_. It had the arms of a Praying Mantis with the shape of a wasp. Green horns adorned the head behind the antennae. The back was adorned by small wings, which hardly looked like they could hold it in the air. The wings were held under the scales which clung to the body like a suit of armor. I looked away from the Giant-Bug because we had somewhere to be and I couldn't spend all day staring at a dead insect, no matter how large it is.

Yang stood over one of the giant robots that we saw in the Cathedral. It lay under the jellyfish, which up close look like glowing mushrooms, and at a fork in the road. _How many forks in the road are we going to find?_ The fork gave us an option to go left or to continue straight.

"I think we should keep going straight." Yang commented, looking up from the giant robot.

"No, we should go left." Weiss said angrily.

"I agree with going straight." I agreed with Yang.

"Well… There's a dead Eyeless Creature on the path straightforward." Ruby said, queasiness poking though as she sadly pointed to the dead Eyeless Creature. Right where Ruby was pointing was a small fort-like building straddling the road. A dead Eyeless Creature lay on the road beneath the bridge across, arrows sticking out of its body. Another had its head and arms hanging off the edge of a archery perch, arrows silhouetted against the wall from the light of a lamp.

We walked under the fort that the two dead Eyeless Creatures were found at. Continuing down the path I noticed the clumps of glowing mushrooms had crystals under them and that the light coming off of them was too bright to stare at for long. The oddest thing about this road we were on was the stream to our right, gently flowing on with silent determination. Shockingly, there was another fork in the road. This decision would be harder to resolve. To the right was a large complex with a massive light hanging over the center of it. To the front was a bridge over the stream and a dead Giant Robot lying by it, in its failed defense.

"Ugh. Another fork in the road. Great." Weiss complained. We all nodded in agreement.

"So which way this time?" Ruby asked.

"Well, judging by the dead Giant-Robot and the two giant bugs on the path, I think it's straight again." I told everyone, pointing at the different dead things.

"Thank Talos for the Dragonborn." Yang said under her breath.

We walked up to the dead Giant Robot and saw yet another fork in the road. We decided to head right because left looked like it would go into nothing important. _All these dead things and all these forks in the road… I'm beginning to think that the Dwarves were a bit overzealous in their design of this place._ The bridge was simple _Thank goodness_ and the stream quietly gurgled beneath us, giving the whole of Blackreach a relaxing feeling. Ruby and Weiss sprinted down the path yelling about "the tower!" leaving Yang and I to look around at what they would run after. After a moment of looking, Yang's hand grabbed my arm. She silently pointed to a tower in the distance. I looked at her and she was apprehensive as to whether or not it was the Tower of Mzark, but was also excited that we found a tower that was at the end of the dead-thing-gingerbread-trail. Yang hurried after them with me in tow. I saw something odd laying on the path, Ruby and Weiss were standing before it and talking and pointing at it. Once I got closer, I saw that it was the skeleton of a dragon. I definitely did not expect to see _that_ down here. Yang and I caught up to Ruby and Weiss and joined the conversation, but we reached it in the middle, obviously.

"Are you sure that the Dragonborn _didn't_ kill it?" Ruby asked Weiss.

"Kah, _of course_ I'm sure. That weakling isn't strong enough to fight a dragon." Weiss scoffed.

"He did clear all of Alftand and this path by himself. I'm fairly certain that he could kill a dragon." I told Weiss, which only infuriated her more.

"So that's another dead thing that the Dragonborn killed. Wonderful. Now can we _please_ get to the Tower?" Yang said to everyone.

We walked around the skeleton and up to the tower that was, hopefully, the Tower of Mzark. The door sat wide open and a single lever sat in the center of the room. I ran over the bridge and waited with Ruby for Yang and Weiss. They both arrived shortly after I stopped, giving me time to look for the way to get into the Tower.

"So all we have to do is grab the Elder Scroll and run." Yang said, holding the lever. "Can you all do that?" We nodded. "Good. Alright, let's get that scroll!" And with that, the platform sped upwards to the top of the Tower.

 _ **Tower of Mzark**_

A campsite greeted us after we arrived at the end of the Dwarven Elevator rainbow. I started to look around, but the sound of grinding gears in the other room attracted my attention. I motioned for everyone to follow me. I reached a large section of metal that reminded me of the cube that was in Septimus' ice cave. To the right was some rubble, so I led everyone left. After a very short run, I ran into a ramp. I sped up the ramp, but was passed by Ruby, who appeared 20 feet in front of me in the blink of an eye. I ran up and up before I saw the top of the sphere. There was the Dragonborn, standing before the Elder Scroll, his hands out to grab it, but he was frozen at the sound of people showing up as he went to get it. Yang and Weiss showed up, completing the team. The Dragonborn dropped his hands and turned towards us.

"Well, this is quite the surprise, now isn't it?" The Dragonborn asked, his slightly shocked face becoming a bit more calm.

"We kind of followed you…" Ruby admitted.

"Did you now?" He paused to pick up the scroll and secure it to his back. "Seeking an easy path to Dwarven riches?"

"Not entirely." Yang replied.

"Well, then why are you here exactly?" The Dragonborn asked.

"The scroll." Weiss pointed at the Elder Scroll.

The Dragonborn's face changed from the calm we had been seeing to a stern, stone-cold one. "And why would that be?"

"We want to get home." I say, in the place of everyone else.

"And what makes you think this scroll will get you there?" The Dragonborn asked.

"It got us here, didn't it?" Yang asked angrily.

"This scroll holds the key I need to defeating Alduin and saving all of Nirn, I'm positive this isn't the one you seek." The Dragonborn said, his tone of voice growing harsher.

"But what if it is?" Weiss asked him.

"I understand that you wish to return to your world, but by trying to take this scroll from me, you put all of Nirn at risk. I cannot allow that. And while I pray it doesn't come to this, if the only way for me to keep this scroll is to kill you four, then so be it." The Dragonborn said, placing a hand on the hilt of his sword.

"So, what should we do?" Yang whispered to us.

"I think we should go for it." Weiss said.

"I think we should let him go and get it when he's done." Ruby told us.

"And while we were talking, he tried to sneak away." I said loudly.

"I guess we fight for it then." Yang said regretfully.

Almost as if we rehearsed it, Ruby dashed over to the exit hallway, blocking the Dragonborn from leaving. He held his head low after that, and after a moment of silence, he spoke.

"So, you four have made your decision then?"

The only one of us to respond was Ruby, who shook her head up and down. After another moment of silence, the Dragonborn leaned in and whispered something to Ruby. I put some minor thought into guessing what he could've said when Ruby gasped, causing me to refocus my attention to her. The Dragonborn had grabbed her by the shoulders in what looked like a tight grip, and Yang was quick to react, making her way over to them. But she wasn't fast enough. The Dragonborn slammed Ruby into the pipe next to them, causing us to stop dead. He then threw a sharp knee to her gut, causing her to cry in pain. We watched in shock and horror as he then picked her up by her collar, and kicked her past Yang.

"Ruby…" Yang's voice cracked.

She turned to the retreating figure of the Dragonborn and succumbed to her anger. Flames erupted around her as she yelled "Oh no you don't!" and launched herself towards the Dragonborn. He turned and immediately put up his shield, wide-eyed at what Yang had become. But it wasn't enough, because for the first time since we got here, Yang fired Ember Celica, and the Dragonborn was launched down the hallway. Yang followed suit immediately, only to be knocked back into the machine in the center of the room by a " _ **Fus… Ro Dah!"**_.

She quickly leapt up and ran back to pound him again. Blow after blow landed on his shield, her shots heating the iron to the point that it was cherry red. When she made a slower attack with her left hand, he bashed it aside and went to stab her when she was off balance. She backhanded him, knocking him onto the floor. He lifted his shield as more attacks rained down onto it. He shakily grabbed a potion from his pocket and drank it, yellow smoke trailing around him. "You coward!" Yang yelled at him, pouring on the assault. With punches that would make her last ones look like they were half-hearted, she dented his shield and pushed him along the ground. He looked like he had enough of being on the defensive, and tried for an attack. He punched with his shield, knocking Yang back momentarily. In that time, he went for an attack. Yang saw it and shot at his shoulder, burning it. Now back behind his shield, the Dragonborn was on the defensive again. The Dragonborn stared at his shield like a man with no options left. He rolled his legs back to his shield and used them to kick Yang hard. Yang staggered back, but stayed on her feet. She sent out another shot, which landed on his shield, setting it on fire. But this did little for phase the Dragonborn. He got up to his feet and took a deep breath. Yang lowered her arms out of confusion. Her guard would have no weight to what was about to happen, much to the surprise of all of us. The Dragonborn stopped breathing and let it out as one large shout. " _ **Faas... Ru Maar!"**_ Once the blood red Thu'um passed over Yang, it looked like she became crippled by fear. She was wrapped in a red glow and a red smoke followed her when she moved. She grasped her head with both hands and stared at the floor. After a moment, she let out a blood curdling scream which echoed in the room, making it seem like numerous Yang's shouted at different times. And with that, she ran from the Dragonborn, but not before getting slashed along her back. She fell to the floor after getting cut and crawled over to the Dwemer Machine. She was helped along by a kick that was placed in a very bad area. _He's going to pay for that_. Yang collapsed on the glass flooring, bleeding and pale from fear. I knew I had to avenge her, but I didn't know when to.

After seeing Yang treated by the Dragonborn as she was, Weiss unsheathed Myrtenaster and motioned for me to do the same. I slung Gambol Shroud off my shoulder and we charged at the Dragonborn. I heard him sigh as he hefted his shield. I struck down at his shield, while at the same time Weiss glyphed behind him. The Dragonborn looked slightly confused for a second, but looked like he had a plan. He kicked at me while turning his shield to block Weiss' attack. It was a very well planned attack, but he didn't have very strong armor on his legs. I slashed his leg as I was struck by his kick. He cried out in pain and blindly slashed at me. I easily parried with the scabbard of Gambol Shroud. He quickly swung his shield behind him to block Weiss' attack, leaving him open to a strike from me. I slashed at him, but he parried with his sword. I settled for jabbing him with the end of Gambol Shroud. Weiss and I lined up for a strike, but were stopped by a gunshot. The sounds of fighting stopped and the only sound we could hear is the sound of Ruby clearing the chamber of Crescent Rose. Her shot punched a hole in the Dragonborn's shield. While we stood in awe of what just happened, Ruby picked up Crescent Rose and joined the fight with us.

Ruby lifted Crescent Rose to strike the Dragonborn, but he had other plans. _**"Fus… Ro Dah!"**_ Ruby tumbled through the air and landed on her back. She was slow to get up, but was mostly unhurt. Seeing how successful Ruby's shot was, I morphed Gambol Shroud into pistol mode and took a shot at the shield. Needless to say, I was quite disappointed when the bullet bounced off. I morphed Gambol Shroud back to sword mode and pushed the attack again. Weiss shot down from the ceiling, distracting him from me. I got a small cut on his armor, but was stopped by the metal of his chestplate. I leapt back as Ruby swung Crescent Rose down at his head. He made a small noise that sounded like shock and put all his weight behind his shield. Her strike knocked him back and punctured his shield. Not thirty seconds after his last shout, he began to shout again. _**"Fo… Krah Diin!"**_ Ruby was covered in ice and moving slowly. Weiss took a stab at the Dragonborn in retaliation. He parried with his sword. I tried to slash, but met his shield. Ruby was still moving slowly, but was lining up a shot at him. Weiss attacked him, drawing his attention from Ruby and I. Upon blocking Weiss' attack, a gunshot rang out again. Blood splattered the Dragonborn's leg after Ruby shot his foot. He yelped in pain, but held strong. I switched to pistol mode and shot the same foot. I missed, which left me open to a strike. It came in the form of a slash to the abdomen. I got hit on the left side of my stomach and it carried over to cut my arm about midway between my wrist and elbow. I staggered back in shock, staring as my blood dripped down my arm and onto the floor. My stomach didn't fair any better. My light armor was torn along the slash, showing my skin and lacerated areas as well. I wanted to get back into the fight, so I looked for the scabbard to Gambol Shroud, which I dropped after I got cut. I found it and picked it up, throwing myself into the fight. Ruby had mostly worked the ice off of herself and was knocking the Dragonborn around, but not doing any major damage. Weiss was adding attacks to the mix here and there, but was otherwise out of the fight, preferring to watch for an opening. I ran up and slashed at the Dragonborn, rage from getting wounded making my strike hit harder. He blocked it with his shield, turning his attention back to Ruby, who was the biggest threat currently. He realized how his odds faired, so he unleashed another shout. " _ **Su… Grah Dun!"**_ It was as if the Dragonborn's arms gained new life. When Ruby moved to strike, he parried her lifting the scythe. When Weiss shot down from the heavens in a mad strike at him, he knocked her sword aside and kicked her away. My strikes and jabs fell upon steel and iron before they even got close to him. Even when Ruby got a hit on him, it did little in the way of impeding him. _If this keeps up, we might lose…_ We went all out to counteract his newfound skill. I swung Gambol Shroud at him. _Clang_. Ruby launched Crescent Rose. _Thud_. Weiss shot down from the ceiling. _Clang-thud_. After we all struck at almost the exact same time, I was staggered, Ruby was out of breath from the swing and Weiss was behind me on the floor. It appears that the " _clang-thud_ " that she got was a parry and shield bash that dislodged her from her place as the one who lies in wait. She stood up and closed her eyes. When she reopened them, a green _thing_ appeared in her hand. She clenched her fist and thrust her hand upwards. Almost instantly, Weiss was covered in a very pale blue, almost white, aura. She then fearlessly charged the Dragonborn on foot, charging Myrtenaster with dust. Naturally, the Dragonborn blocked the attack, but because of the dust charge, he got a face full of fire. Out of rage, he swung his sword, from low to high, knocking off the spell that Weiss had cast on herself. She remained unharmed. But on the return strike, his attack met flesh. His sword caught her in between breasts and went to the left side of her rib cage, ending where it did. Weiss staggered backwards and fell on her bottom. She was clearly stunned that her spell had failed her. "Skyforge Steel will beat _Ironflesh_ every time." The Dragonborn commented as Weiss staggered backwards. Ruby attacked the Dragonborn while his back was turned. He moved his shield to block it in time, but nowhere near as fast as it was after the shout. When Ruby's strike met the Dragonborn's shield, he was staggered. " _ **Su… Grah Dun!"**_ Rang out as he regained balance. _Here we go again._ Out of the corner of my eye, Yang showed up. She was moving slowly and grimacing with each step. She pulled a green bottle out of her pocket and drank it, her whole body glowing green. With that her motions became faster and she didn't look as tired. But she wasn't done with potions yet. She pulled out a red one, which I could tell instantly was a health potion. Yellow tendrils of smoke spun around her as she downed it. She pushed herself off the wall she had been leaning on for support. "Got room for one more?"

She didn't wait for an answer before throwing herself fist first into the fight. The Dragonborn moved into a further defensive than before. But, luckily for him, we had to conserve our dust, so Yang stopped firing Ember Celica. This made defending for the Dragonborn that much easier, but it wasn't enough to make up for the fact that he is fighting an extra fighter, and a good one at that. Yang threw a punch, which bounced off the Dragonborn's shield, but not without a massive force transfer. The Dragonborn responded with a shout aimed at Yang, Ruby and I. " _ **Yol… Toor Shul!"**_ A large ball of fire flew towards us, passing over with blazing heat. My clothes were instantly set ablaze by the heat and I collapsed to the ground and rolled around trying to put it out. By the time I rolled once, the fire immediately stopped. I heard a cry of pain and saw that Ruby got slashed as she tried to put out the fire, but she was patting herself. Another shout of pain slammed my ears. Yang had tried to hit the Dragonborn in retaliation for slashing Ruby, but was cut as well due to her state of incoherence. Ruby went wide-eyed when she held up her hand which was covered in her own blood. Yang freaked when she saw Ruby bleeding and threw herself back into the fray, much to the delight of the Dragonborn. I shot at the Dragonborn's shield to distract him momentarily while Yang went in for the strike. The punch connected, throwing the Dragonborn back a bit. He got to one knee and said "Is that it?" Yang bristled with anger in response. "My turn now." He said, preparing to shout again. " _ **Krii… Lun Aus!"**_ Although it was aimed at Yang, I instantly felt my wounds hurt more and all the energy flowed from my body. Blood flowed from body at an increased rate, causing me to lose focus on the sword swinging overtop of my head. Yang kept trying to fight the Dragonborn, but only ended up getting herself more and more wounded. Her yellow clothes were stained red from her blood. Weiss fell from the ceiling in a heap, all the energy she had given to holding herself up was exhausted. I crawled over to Ruby, who was still staring at her bloodied hand. I grabbed her right shoulder and gave it a comforting squeeze partnered with an attempted smile. A shout made me turn to the fight that was still going on. " _ **Faas… Ru Maar!"**_ Yang didn't even had the energy to run away this time. She fell to her knees and fell to her left like a sack of potatoes. Ruby crawled over to Yang and hugged to try and comfort her while she was filled with fear. Ruby's tears splattered Yang's bloodied shirt. It seemed like seconds after the shout that the Dragonborn stood before all of us while we were cluttered on the floor. "I'm sorry it had to end this way, but Tamriel needs this scroll." He said to us as he prepared another shout. This one was new. " _ **Iiz... Slen Nus!"**_ I fell unconscious from the instant chill.

I came to and saw an endless tunnel. My arms and legs were slow to respond and even then they hardly worked. Pain shot through the places where I got cut. I saw the lever in the center much like the lifts that we went through. Blood from all of us coated the floor. The Dragonborn stood over our unconscious bodies, but I didn't have the energy to do anything about it. He opened his mouth and I braced for the shout, but he didn't shoot out a Thu'um at us.

"So, the four of you are still alive? Good."

"What's it to you?" Yang said weakly, but the anger still bled through.

"Because I was worried that I sent you four on an early trip to Sovngarde." The Dragonborn said.

"It would take more than that to send Yang to Sovngarde." Ruby responded.

"Considering what I did you you four back in the Tower of Mzark? All of you were a breath away from death. So consider yourselves lucky." The Dragonborn said, sternly.

"You were serious about the 'even if I have to kill you' part." I commented.

"Now then." The Dragonborn paused to remove the Elder Scroll from his back and hold it in front of him "This scroll is the one that you think will return you to your world, correct?"

"Yeah." Weiss said, certain that she was right.

"Well then, it appears that even in your near death state, your stupidity still reigns supreme." The Dragonborn said, harshly.

"Wha-" Weiss said, uncomprehendingly. "I am _sure_ that this scroll will take us home."

The Dragonborn heaved a sigh "You realize that there are numerous Elder Scrolls, right?"

"There's what?" Yang asked, angrily as she stared at Weiss.  
"You heard me." The Dragonborn said, re-securing the scroll to his back.

"That would've been nice to know, _Weiss_." Yang said, false stability to her voice.

"So, now that we've got that cleared up, I've got to get going. It's a long trek to the top of The Throat of the World." The Dragonborn said.

"Yeah, whatever." Yang said, waving him off in spirit. She continued to tear into Weiss until she used up all of her energy.

"So, I guess no matter how many outworlders I face, none of them can surpass me, even in groups…" The Dragonborn said under his breath.

We all ignored the Dragonborn and left him to inflate his own ego, because we all know that we weren't at full strength at all.

"Even the others couldn't do anything...interesting…" The Dragonborn said, under his breath.

The Dragonborn quickly pulled the lever and used a shout to get out before it would be impossible to leave. " _ **Wuld… Nah Kest!"**_ The platform picked up speed as it rushed to the top. _Everyone else is unconscious. I need to drag them to safety._ In my condition? No way. _They would do it for you._ Of course they would, but I am just as bad as them at this point. _No, you aren't. You only have a few cuts on you._ Those "few cuts" are bleeding heavily. _Not as bad as Yang's or Ruby's._ My inner argument was interrupted by the platform coming to a stop. _Now. Go open the gate and drag them out._ I pulled myself onto my stomach and crawled over. Black spots danced before my eyes and my head felt lighter than air. _I am going to pass out._ But not before I pull the lever. I finally made it to the lever and pulled it down. The gates swung open with mechanical perfection. My eyes were squinting now as I forced them open so I could continue to help my unconscious teammates. I looked at them and they seemed to be so far away and getting further. They blurred into random colors againt the brass color of the gates. _I can't make it…_ I turned to face out of the door, but only my head responded. There walked four figures. I knew them, but I couldn't place where they are from. None of them looked like Brynjolf or the Dragonborn, so I didn't know who they could be. One of them saw me and pointed me out for the other three. Almost as if rehearsed, they all ran towards us. I raised one hand and motioned for them to come before my head and hand hit the ground as my energy ran out. My eyes closed as the four figures arrived. I could only hope I was in good hands, but somehow I knew I was.


	12. The Stench of War and Decay

**Chapter 12: The Stench of War and Decay**

 ** _Pyrrha's Perspective_**

It smelled here. That was the first thing I noticed. The stench. It was definitely a swamp, I didn't even need to open my eyes to confirm. This was a swamp. I slowly opened my eyes and saw the sun on its descent into the horizon. I pulled myself up to my knees and saw that Jaune Nora and Ren were nearby. _Good. I don't think I could find them efficiently in an area I don't know._ Jaune and Nora were the first to stir. Jaune lazily rubbed his eyes and looked at me questioningly. _Thank goodness, he's okay._ Nora started to look at everything around us, almost like she was formulating a plan of what she would do. Ren finally started stirring. The very second he opened his eyes, he told Nora that she shouldn't "even think about it". Nora smiled at Ren, causing his pout to grow. Nora slowly stood up and Ren mirrored her.

"Nora…" Ren said ominously. Nora didn't heed his words and took off, touching everything in sight. _So that's what her plan was…_ Ren was there at every turn, stopping her from touching things. After a minute of constant running, Ren collapsed on the ground, chest heaving.

"Aw. You're broken!" Nora said, staring at Ren as she stood over him. Ren opened his eyes and glared at Nora. This only lasted for a few seconds before Nora started laughing and Ren smiled. I turned my attention to Jaune, who was pale and was hugging his knees in fear. I crawled over to him and pulled him into a hug. I gently stroked his hair with my right hand and held him close.

"It's alright Jaune." I calmly whispered to him. He relaxed a bit but wasn't fully calmed down. So to remedy that, I held him a bit tighter. He hardly responded. _Yup, he's in shock._ I sighed, my grip on him loosening. I faintly heard Nora catcall. I glared in her direction, but was too concerned about Jaune to care.

"So… What are we going to do?" I asked, my voice falling on semi-deaf ears.

"Maybe stop choking Jaune." Nora joked.

"What are you talking abo-" I looked down and saw that I was clutching Jaune by the neck and pushing his head into my breasts. "Sorry." I said, putting him into a more sensible hug. Ren looked at me and then looked at Nora and seemed to be deep in thought.

"Maybe we should look around." Nora commented. Ren nodded absentmindedly.

"Alright. Let's look around." I replied, standing up and helping Jaune stand up. He mumbled a thanks and I nodded in response.

In the immediate vicinity was a large amount of water that made it seem like we were on an island. The island is surrounded by pine trees and slightly tall grass. In the distance was a city that was on a section of a cliff with a large gap in the center of the land it sat on. To our left, and through the trees was a small section of rock that looked man made. The town looked like our best option. I put Jaune's arm over my shoulders to support him until he could walk under his own power, and a little beyond that. Ren grabbed Nora's hand, more to stop her from running around and touching things than for a romantic purpose. _I don't know, they'd be cute together._ We walked to the left of the city, because there was certainly an entrance on either side of the city, but not at the part hanging off the cliff face.

That was the plan before the war horns sounded.

To our far left, in between us and the man made stone structure, battle cries were filling the air. Horns were blaring and shields were getting hit by swords. A battle was brewing not too far from where we stood. The call for a charge overpowered the sound of an army preparing to fight. _I want to see where this is coming from._ I turned to see the state of the rest of my team. Nora was pulling on Ren's hand in her efforts to touch the flora and fauna of this foreign land. Jaune's deadweight pulled my shoulders down, showing that I had someone that I had to take care of; I couldn't just run off just to see a skirmish. Almost mockingly, the sounds of battle grew louder as the cries of the wounded joined the mix of the screaming warriors. I yearned to see who was fighting, but my mind forced me to stand my ground against the sonorus assault.

My mind gave way, however.

I found myself walking towards the sound of battle without doing it under my own power. I dragged Jaune with me in my quest to find the battle. Ren dragged Nora to catch up with me. Ren was obviously intrigued by the sounds of battle as well. Through the trees, a fort came into view. Once I got closer, I saw the battle unfolding. Defenders scrambled along the ramparts, firing arrows into the center of the fort, but it was futile; the attackers mounted the ramparts and were slaughtering the defenders, but not without considerable casualties on their side. Then, a single man mounted the ramparts. He calmly walked past all his comrades and right up to the enemy. He looked unimpressive. He had a decent set of armor and a considerably strong looking shield, but otherwise he looked just like the defenders. That was, before he spoke. When he spoke, his words flung the enemy back onto the drum tower and over the ramparts to their death. And he only said three words that seemed to echo off the heavens; " _ **Fus… Ro Dah!"**_. The few defenders that didn't die from the impact or weren't thrown off the wall-walk were hesitant to stand up and continue the fight. The ones who did stand up were immediately cut down by the attackers or by the man himself. Those who refused to stand up were executed where they lay. The man sheathed his sword as the last of the defenders took their last breaths, his job done and his enemies no longer of this world.

The sounds of battle were replaced by the cries of the victorious. I could actually hear the sound of mugs slamming onto wooden tables, alcohol being consumed and drunk soldiers telling tall tales to anyone who would listen. I decided that I was done looking at the end-of-battle celebrations and led everyone away from the fort and towards the nearest city. We made it back to the ditch that we woke up in, before we located the city and started walking towards it. I felt something rush through me while we walked, and suddenly I felt like I was being tracked. I quickly threw Jaune over my shoulder, despite his complaint that he isn't in shock anymore, and ran with Ren and Nora. It wasn't long before we were cut off by the attackers of the fort behind us. In the time it took us to stop, we were surrounded by them. Jaune fell ungracefully off my shoulder and landed with an "ow!" I was going to apologize, but now was not the time. I slung Akoúo off my back and opened Miló in xiphos mode. Ren pulled out his dual pistols, followed in suit by Nora unleashing her warhammer. Jaune was slow to getting his sword out, seeing as it was stuck in his shield again. _Again with the malfunctions? As soon as we get home, I am fixing that shield whether Jaune likes it or not._ One of the men surrounding us stepped forward.

"By order of Galmar Stone-Fist, stand down and drop your weapons."

"What's it to you?" I replied.

"You have been suspected of being Imperial Spies and therefore you must be brought in for questioning." The man paused to turn to one of the others. "Olof, go back to the camp and report this to Galmar, and come back with the good shackles."

The man nodded and rushed off into the swamp.

"What's an Imperial?" Nora asked.

"Playing dumb, eh? I can't tell if those were your orders or if you're just that stupid." The man said, causing the others to chuckle.

"We honestly don't know what an Imperial is." I replied, showing how little we know.

"You know, the joke isn't as funny the second time around. But, I guess you're just that stupid." The man said, once again causing the others to chuckle.

"Might I ask who you _gentlemen_ are?" I asked them.

"First of all, there aren't just men in our ranks. Secondly, I'm surprised you're sticking to your orders this well. Most other spies would've caved in by now, considering that you're surrounded by some of the best Stormcloaks that Ulfric Stormcloak has at his disposal." The man said.

"Stormcloaks?" Nora asked.

"Ulfric Stormcloak?" I asked.

The man sighed heavily.

"OK, now you're just messing with us. If you filthy Imperial dogs don't drop your weapons right now, then we'll be forced to take them from you." The man said, clearly not understanding our confusion.

"If you want us to drop our weapons, stop calling us by something we're not." I replied, defiantly.

"Fine then, would you prefer to be called traitors? Heathens? Spinless milk drinkers?" The man said, mockingly.

"Traitorous to whom? What god have we forsaken? And why is it bad to drink milk?" I asked, more confused than ever.

"OK then, by force it is." The man said, signaling the other to draw their weapons.

"Uh… I just wanted to know what you were talking about." I say, still confused.

"You Imperial Spies have tested my patience long enough! If you won't surrender peacefully, then we'll have to force you to." The man said, sword drawn.

"What happens to us if we surrender?" I asked, though I had no intentions of surrendering.

"We take you to our camp for interrogation. If you're found innocent, which isn't likely, you'll be set free. If you're found guilty, you'll be carted to Windhelm and be tried for treason." The man said.

I glanced at each of my teammates, each one less certain of what to do than the last. I shrugged. "'Surrender' isn't in my vocabulary." I declared, moving to a defensive position.

The man grinned. "Good, I was hoping I could fight some more Imperials today."

"Well, you'll be disappointed, because we aren't Imperials." I replied, backing up with my team to form a defensive circle.

"And so the lies continue…" The man said, signaling his men to converge.

"On your end, more like." I replied, raising Akoúo to the correct position on my body. The man only laughed in response before a battle cry rose as they charged.

As they advanced, I switched my spear to doru mode, mostly to give me more reach. I braced my shoulder against the shield and held my spear in the gap on the rim of my shield, which it was designed for. When the first soldier slammed his weapon into Akoúo, I stabbed with Miló, catching him in the chest. After I pulled Miló out, he fell to ground in a heap, blood flowing from his chest. The next one charged and when he went to swing, he exposed his body. He had a Miló shaped hole in his chest following that. _What kind of fighting do these people do? When they swing their sword, they move their shield out of the way._ The next man did the same thing, with the same result. _Seriously, they need to learn how to use that shield._

"Close ranks!" I shouted to the rest of my team. They all backed up to form a ring of allies. I looked to see how many of the enemy were left and saw that I had killed a fourth of their forces. Nora had crushed four, Ren shot holes in three and Jaune had killed one and was fighting with the last one. I calmly walked over to him while they were caught in a stalemate of crossed swords and hit the enemy over the head with my shield. He crumpled to the ground and didn't make an attempt to stand up. Everyone seemed to be uninjured, so I sighed in relief. But before I could sheathe my weapons, the sound of horses tore through the trees that surrounded us.

Two horses showed up only seconds after I first heard the hooves. One of them was the man ordered to return to camp and the other was the one who could throw men off the ramparts with only his voice. The former stared in shock at the carnage before him, petrified on the saddle of his horse. The latter quickly threw himself off the horse and stared as well at the bodies of the men we killed. The man that was called Olof _I have no idea how I remembered that name_ got off his horse regretfully and walked to the dead men. I motioned for everyone to move back to allow them to grieve for the dead. Olof continued to look at every man who lay dead while the other man still stood next to his horse, still as the trees that were near him. Olof soon reached the man that I hit with my shield and called over the other man saying that he was alive. "Dragonborn, come quickly." He insisted. _So the other man is called "Dragonborn"? Is that some kind of title?_ The "Dragonborn" ran over to Olof and recognized the man on the ground.

"Ralof my friend…" The Dragonborn said, kneeling down near his friends broken body.

He coughed, the coughs shaking his body. "It's nothing to worry about… Only a few cuts." Ralof said, forcing a chuckle.

"If only that were true." The Dragonborn said.

"Did any of the others make it?" Ralof asked.

The Dragonborn looked to the other man, who simply shook his head. "No, you're the only one."

"Damn, and I just thought I was getting good at leading troops." Ralof said.

"You're a damn good leader and you know it, everyone gets cocky every once in awhile." The Dragonborn said, reassuringly.

Ralof tried to speak, but the pain gripped him again, causing him to cry out.

"Get him back to camp, I can take care of it from here." The Dragonborn said, standing up.

"Yes sir, Snow-Hammer." The other man said.

With the help of the Dragonborn, the other man lifted Ralof onto his horse and rode off into the swamp. Once the sound of hooves vanished, the Dragonborn slowly turned to us.

"You've killed my Shield-Siblings...Injured my best friend…" The Dragonborn said, looking down.

I was about to speak up when he continued. "By Ysmir…" He paused to look up at us. "you'll pay for this!"

I had barely raised my shield before he took a deep breath and exhaled the words that throw men. " _ **Fus… Ro Dah!"**_ The impact was like falling three stories onto concrete. I couldn't count the number of times I flipped because I was so out of it just from the initial impact. My body remained in the air for longer than I expected, but it wasn't long before the ground caught up to me. My mind spun as I slowly pulled myself to my feet. The Dragonborn's dark figure loomed over our bodies, his sword raised to strike. He started to swing, but I used my polarity to knock the sword out of his hand. He glared at me as he bent over to pick up his sword, but by that time I had pulled myself to my feet. He scooped the sword off the ground and didn't miss a beat before he had the sword on a collision course with my face. Akoúo came to my rescue as it held off the strike. I counter-attacked like I did with the "Stormcloak" soldiers earlier, but Miló bounced harmlessly off of his iron shield. He obviously is a well-trained soldier. _This is going to be an uphill fight_. After my failed offensive, he confidently moved to strike. Three bullets bounced off his shield and sword. Ren had gotten up and was giving me support. I went to attack him while his defenses were down, but Ren shouted at me. "Get back!" Before I could get a suitable distance away for whatever was happening, an explosion threw me away from the Dragonborn. I looked to where the thing that caused the explosion came from and saw Nora laughing with Magnhild in grenade launcher mode gracing her hands. I quickly scanned the area for Jaune and saw him still on the ground. Ren nodded to me and I ran over to help Jaune up. Jaune was still shaken up from the impact, seeing as he was the closest one to it, and needed a hand up. I threw Akoúo onto my shoulder and pulled him up quickly. I gave a cursory glance to his body to make sure he wasn't injured, and when I was certain he was fine, I jumped back into combat. Jaune followed me in and blocked an attack, that would've hit me, almost immediately. _Thank goodness I trained him earlier this year…_ We formed up in a way that Jaune and I took the blows with our shields while Ren and Nora dropped shots in support. The Dragonborn breathed deeply and looked like he was going to use the words that make us go flying, but they never came. Instead he said a new set of words. " _ **Zun… Haal Viik!"**_ Miló was wrenched from my hand, as was Crocea Mors, Magnhild and StormFlower. I used my polarity to bring Miló to my hand, much to the annoyance of the Dragonborn. He struck at Jaune while he was picking up his sword and, much like Jaune would do, he had let his shield hang down by his side. _I guess I didn't train him as well as I thought_. I threw Miló in desperation at the Dragonborn. It bounced off one of the horns on his helmet, but not without stopping Jaune from getting cut open from the impact on his head. I then threw myself behind my shield and shoved the Dragonborn with all my might. He stepped back a bit, clearly still dizzy from the blow to the head. _No one hurts Jaune on my watch. Or in general, for that matter._ He quickly regained his footing and proceeded to attack me while I caught my breath from the shove. A white shield came out of nowhere and blocked the strike for me. Jaune stepped past me and countered the Dragonborn's strike, but it bounced off his shield with a dull thud. Jaune, much like the soldiers we fought before, left his body exposed when he struck. I hurriedly used my polarity to move his shield over his chest to block the Dragonborn's stab. "Only cowards use magic!" He shouted at me after his stab landed on Jaune's shield. He then shoved Jaune back into me using his shield. Naturally, I made sure that I caught Jaune, but I failed to notice him gearing up for another set of power words. " _ **Tiid… Klo Ul!"**_ I felt the words wash over me and I instantly felt heavy. I snapped my shield to my chest, but my hand seemed to not respond. It was then that I noticed the blue hue that had washed over everything after the Dragonborn used his power words. My eyes seemed to move at normal speed, however everything but the Dragonborn moved in slow motion. He calmly walked up to Jaune, checked out his armor and sliced him. _He's going to pay for that._ He walked up to me next. Just as he did with Jaune, he checked out my armor. _I have a strong feeling that he is looking at my breasts…_ And following with the pattern, he sliced my back. _He is obviously not trying to hurt my breasts. Pervert._ He proceeded to do the same thing with Ren and Nora. Now with everyone slowly falling to the ground with an odd assortment of wounds each, the Dragonborn proceeded to take and inspect our weapons. He seemed to be very interested by StormFlower's design and functionality. But he was most impressed by Magnhild. "It's like a warhammer, but with projectile magic…" I heard him murmuring as he held it. He quickly glanced over Miló and Crocea Mors, probably because they look like weapons he has seen before. He then readied himself for battle as the effects of the power words wore off. "You… A-" Is all I got out before he slashed me across the chest. He hit Jaune in the head with the pommel of his sword. Jaune and I fell to the ground at the same time. The Dragonborn was so busy hitting Jaune that he missed the fact that Nora had aimed Magnhild at him. The second he turned around, he got a face full of explosives. Or so it seemed. His reflexes were better than I thought they were. He emerged from his shield unharmed. He hurried over to where Nora and Ren stood and smashed Nora with his shield and slashed Ren's chest. Within a few seconds, real time, we went from having a strategic advantage to lying on the ground covered in wounds. The last thing I saw before a bag was pulled over my head was my hands being shackled.

I was being jostled on something wooden. We were moving, that's for certain, but where and on what, I had no clue. The journey wasn't long at least. It was only a few minutes from being put on this thing and being moved somewhere before I was carried off of it. I was dropped onto my knees, however degrading the position I didn't move from it because I had no way of defending myself. Three other thuds followed shortly after I was dropped. _At least we are all together._ I flinched as a hand was placed on the top of my head, then that same hand removed the bag from my head. The moon hung over the horizon. _I must be seeing double, because there's a second one next to it that's smaller…_ A large man wearing a bear pelt stood before us. He looked quite menacing. He started talking to us as soon as the bag was removed.

"So, these are the four spies that saw us take the fort? Hmph, the Empire must be really desperate to send children to spy on us."

I sighed. "How many times will I have to say that we aren't spies!"

"Did I say you could speak?!" The man shouted, getting up close to my face.

I shook my head, but glared at him instead.

"Heh, good to know that you know your place." He paused to go back to his original position. "Now, I'll start things off plain and simple. Why were you four watching us take the fort?"

"Do I have permission to speak, _sir_?" I asked with a distinct edge to my voice.

He sighed. "When I ask you a question, I expect you dogs to answer. So yes."

"We heard fighting and went to see where it came from." I explained simply, mostly because I thought that he would be too dumb to understand complex stuff.

"I knew I should've had them check the surrounding area first…" He mumbled before he continued. "Now then, who in Solitude gave you your orders?" The man asked.

"What's Solitude?" Nora asked before I could.

This clearly didn't help the situation. "Playing dumb already? Ralof said something like that earlier. I'll say it again, who in Solitude gave you your orders?" The man said, clearly more agitated.

"We honestly do not know what Solitude is! We would say if we knew!" I replied, also getting agitated.

"Really? Then why did my men cut you off before you fled there?" The man asked, raising his voice again.

"We aren't from around here so we were heading to the nearest city." I explained, seeing that my question of his intelligence was spot on.

"Typical Imperial lies, always trying to play dumb in the face of death." The man said.

"What's an Imperial?" Nora asked.

"Enough!" The man yelled, slamming his axe down in front of Nora.

"You don't have to be mean about it…" Nora said quietly.

"OK, since I'm in a good mood right now, I'll let you explain your side of the story _before_ I send you four to Sovngarde. So start talking." The man said, keeping his axe at the ready.

We proceeded to tell them everything that happened before we were found by the soldiers.

"Pfffffffft! Hahahaha!" All the soldiers in the camp burst out into laughter.

"Do you honestly expect us to believe something like that? I'd have to be drunk off my ass to even consider that!" The man said between laughs.

I slumped down after they laughed at our story.

"Look! She's given up!" One of the soldiers called out, causing them to laugh even more.

"You can't fix stupid…" I said to myself.

"Alright, which one deserves to go first?" The man asked his men, lifting his axe.

"Stop for a moment, Galmar." The Dragonborn spoke up.

"What is it, Snow-Hammer? Can't you see that we are about to kill Imperial Spies? Can it wait?" The man asked, still holding the axe in his hand.

"I would like to speak with the spies." The Dragonborn said, his voice remaining calm.

"Make it quick, Snow-Hammer." The man said testily.

The Dragonborn crouched in front of me and softly asked me a question so his men wouldn't hear. "Do you know of four girls dressed in red, white, black and yellow?"

My eyes widened. "You met team RWBY? Are they okay? We lost them after Ren opened the scroll and-" The Dragonborn cut me off.

"I did. That's all I needed to know." He stood up and returned to where he came from.

"Did you ask what you wanted to ask, Snow-Hammer?" Galmar asked mockingly. "Can we get on with our execution?"

"I would like to take them into my custody." The Dragonborn replied calmly.

Galmar stopped for a moment. "You want to take them into your custody?" Galmar repeated uncomprehendingly.

"Yes, they are not Imperial spies." He explained as murmurs in the crowd of soldiers started questioning him.

"How can you be so sure? They were heading to Solitude and killed our soldiers." Galmar responded in an unsure tone.

"Simple, they are the missing outworlders." The Dragonborn stated causing even more whispers in the crowd, "we attacked them and they merely acted in self-defence."

"How do you know this Snow-Hammer? Are you positive they are not just lying?" The officer questioned.

"Tell me, Galmar, how do you explain the fact that they do not know what an Imperial is, they can fight better than our soldiers, and know the other outworlders just by a simple description? Not only that, but how do you explain the weapons they are carrying?" The Dragonborn retorted as he looked towards us with what can only be explained as a mixture of curiosity and respect written on his face.

"Even then Snow-Hammer, they killed some of the sons and daughters of Skyrim, how can we simply just let them go after a crime like that?" Galmar replied with an obvious tone of annoyment in his speech, making me get more and more angry. I was standing up to yell in reply before Ren held an arm out and shook his head.

"Sir, I am only asking you to transfer custody, not lick their boots in apology and let them free." the Dragonborn returned, "I will of course punish them as they deserve."

"Fine" he stated, "take them, but if they cause anymore trouble for us their heads will go on spikes and I'll have you stripped of your titles." I could not feel more relieved as I heard Nora sigh off to the side.

"I expect nothing less." The Dragonborn said as he retrieved our stuff and ushered us out the camp. We walked passed all the soldiers who were just silent as they looked at us with hateful glances and the occasional look of disappointment.

After we got out of sight of the camp, The Dragonborn turned to us, looking slightly sheepish as he undid our bindings, and gave us our stuff back. "I really am sorry about that. We are in the middle of a war and people can be a bit jumpy."

"You don't have to apologize." Ren replied diplomatically, "I would not have believed it myself if someone told me they are from another world."

"Yes, but Galmar really is just overly cautious when it comes to spies." The Dragonborn said.

"I would be too if it were me." Jaune finally spoke up, "nothing is more powerful than knowing what an enemy is doing before they know you know."

"Exactly, but how can someone your age be working as a spy, and why would you be in the middle of a marsh?" The Dragonborn retorted.

"Maybe we had a super secret informant in the middle of that place that we were meeting in order learn about all you ultra need to know information on every little thing you were doing." Nora started "Or we could have been looking for something to poison your food with."

"Nora." Ren simply said.

"Yes, Ren?"

"Please calm down."

Nora just groaned in disappointment. As this was going on The Dragonborn leaned towards me and asked "Does this happen often?"

"Oh, you have no idea..." I trailed off.

After some time of walking in silence with my wounds aching, I decided to instigate conversation.

"So what's up with the war?" I asked, expecting a long answer.

"It's simple really, we are fighting to free ourselves from an empire that bows down to those damn witch elves and stops its people from worshiping one of its gods." The Dragonborn said.

"Why did they do that?" I asked, disappointed at the short answer I got.

"When the Empire lost to the Aldmeri Dominion in the Great War, one of the points made in the White-Gold Concordat was the ban of Talos worship. All because the Thalmor find it impossible that Talos ascended to Divinity." The Dragonborn said.  
"What did Talos do to deserve divinity?" Jaune asked.

The Dragonborn, who looked heavily offended by Jaune's question, sighed and said "Just ask the girls when you see them."

I laughed a little. "So Ruby asked about him already?"

"Oh yes, she goes and listens to Heimskr preach every chance she gets." The Dragonborn said, a slight smile appearing on his face.

"That seems like Ruby…" Jaune said.

"Indeed, she and her sister are an interesting pair. I'm glad to be one of their Shield-Siblings." The Dragonborn said.

"They do look cute together." Nora said offhandedly.

"Don't you call your fellow soldiers 'Shield-Siblings'?" I asked him, just realizing what he said.

"Anyone who will willingly follow you into battle is your Shield-Sibling." The Dragonborn said.

"That does sound like them." I replied.

"Wait, how long have they been your 'Shield-Siblings' for?" Ren asked.

"Let's see...I believe they joined up a few months ago, shortly after they split up with Weiss and Blake, who also went to do their own things." The Dragonborn said, more to himself than us.

"Where'd they go?" I asked him.

"Well, Ruby and Yang are in Whiterun with the Companions, Weiss is in Winterhold with the College of Winterhold, and Blake is in Riften with the Thieves Guild." The Dragonborn said.

"'Thieves Guild'? That doesn't sound like Blake…" I said, looking at the rest of my team, receiving nods that they agree.

"Well, the closest she's come to death as far as I'm aware of is when I nearly slit her throat a few months back. So I believe she's doing well for herself." The Dragonborn said, nonchalantly.

"You _what?_ " I asked.

"She _what?_ " Nora asked at the same time that I did.

"Well, in my defense her superior ordered her to pickpocket me." The Dragonborn said.

"Why did she join in the first place?" I asked, shocked that Blake would be in a guild for thieves.

"I never asked, though I assume that it was for an easy source of Septims." The Dragonborn said.

I assumed that Septims was the local currency and moved on. Jaune, however, did not.

"What's a Septi-" I cut him off with a look.

"So they've been here for a few months? We only just arrived. How does _that_ work?" I asked more to myself.

"Simple, you four were caught in the Time Stream that the Elder Scroll pulled you inside of for a longer time. They just happened to get out first." The Dragonborn said.

"Well, at least we were stuck _as a team_!" Nora said energetically.

"Well, at least you're optimistic." The Dragonborn said, smiling slightly.

" _She_ is. I would've rather landed with both teams together." I said, slightly agitated at our current circumstances.

"Trust me, it could've been worse. All you need to do is head to Whiterun to meet up with them." The Dragonborn said.

"How long until we reach Whiterun?" Nora asked.

After a moment of thought, the Dragonborn spoke up "About another three hours and we should be there."

"Ren…" Nora said quietly. Ren nodded, accepting his fate and picked up Nora.

"Yay!" Nora cheered as Ren hoisted her up.

The Dragonborn gave a questioning glance at them, but quickly turned back to the terrain in front of us.

"Now then, what about where you come from?" The Dragonborn asked.

"We come from a place called 'Remnant'." I start, taking a deep breath for a long story ahead.

I explained about the Grimm and how humanity had to flee from them until they found Dust. I didn't go into too much detail with the Dust because I saw the Dragonborn began to lose focus like he was taking in too much information. Beacon and our schooling there. In short, just a brief overview of Remnant which turned into a long-winded brief overview. But, we also learned more about "Skyrim" in the process, in return for the information we provided.

"Well, it sounds like your world is not too worse off than this one." The Dragonborn said.

"I'm certain that every world has something that plagues it." I replied.

"Indeed. You have the Grimm, and we have Alduin." The Dragonborn said.

"At least the Grimm only attack us in life…" I said.

"Soon I will have what I need to defeat him, and then the souls in Sovngarde can rest once again." The Dragonborn said, in a very heroic tone of voice.

"And then you can deflate your head." I joked.

He looked very confused, I guess what counts as a joke here is different than what counts in Remnant.

"I was saying that you were full of yourself and that you should come back down to earth." I explained the joke.

"Ah...hey." The Dragonborn said, now understanding the joke and clearly not taking it well.

"I was joking!" I quickly defended.

"Heh, of course you were." The Dragonborn said, once again turning his attention to the terrain in front of us. _He'd kill me if I wasn't…_

After a _very_ long and quiet walk, we arrived at a place that the Dragonborn called Whiterun. It was a large city on a hill with a palace at the top. "Dragonsreach" the Dragonborn called it. We walked past farms and a meadery on our way to the front gates. There was a stables right before the walkway up to the front gate with a man on a carriage offering rides to the different hold capitals. The moment we stood in front of the gate, Ren dropped Nora off of his back and fell onto the ground, panting. We were all tired, except Nora, who slept on Ren's back the majority of the way, and the Dragonborn, who probably walks everywhere he goes.

"Is he...alright?" The Dragonborn asked.

"I'm not _that heavy_ am I?" Nora asked, crouching over Ren.

"No." Ren said in between pants. "And, yes, I am alright."

"Good. Well, this is where we part ways." The Dragonborn said.

"You seem to know this area well, do you know any place that has a map we can buy?" I asked him.

"Try Belethor's General Goods. If he doesn't have one, then maybe the Companions could lend you one." The Dragonborn said.

"Thank you for the information and for letting us go. We won't soon forget it." I told him and everyone on the team said thanks as well, even Ren, who was still trying to catch his breath.

"No problem, anything to help the friends of my friends." The Dragonborn said, and with that, he left our side and walked away.

* * *

 **/AN: Hey guys! Hope you enjoyed the re-introduction of Team JNPR! I understand that some of you have been waiting a long time for this, so I hope this sated your appetite. Now then, I'm not sure when I'll be able to post the next chapter (me and my friends are dealing with school right now), so just hold tight and I'll see you in the next chapter!**


	13. Lost In A Foreign Land

**Chapter 13: Lost In A Foreign Land**

 ** _Jaune's Perspective_**

Pyrrha pushed open the large, wooden doors leading to this unfamiliar city. I followed meekly, finding comfort in the fact that Pyrrha is a beyond skilled fighter. The first thing about the buildings that struck me is how outdated they were compared to Remnant. Wooden houses stood on either side of the cobbled street. The style was unlike any I had ever seen before; The ends of houses had wood crossed above the end of the roof. At the end of the wood, there were dragon heads carved into them, making it seem more ornate than the structural capabilities of building suggests. To my right, nearest the gate was a woman dressed in a very odd garb tanning leather. To her right was a burning pit which must have been used to forge weapons out of. She worked next to a building with a sign that was a horseshoe and inside of it was an anvil, a hammer and some tongs on it. At the bottom of the horseshoe was the word "Blacksmith". _So I was right about the weapons._ On the left side of the street and up a small hill was a large-looking house with a single dragon head perched on the top of the roof. Near the street was a sign that had a stein of frothing beer and various plants beneath it with the name "The Drunken Huntsman" on it.

"Are you four just going to stand there all day, or are you going to get out of the way of the door?" A guard asked us.

"Wh-Where is Belethor's General Goods?" I asked the guard timidly.

He looked at me oddly and pointed further down the street. "Down the street, on the right. You can't miss it." He said apprehensively, mostly because of our outfits.

"Thank you." Pyrrha replied, leading the way for Ren and Nora and dragging me with her.

We walked for only a minute. We passed by two kids, one running towards us and the other away. We also passed a drunk man singing drinking songs. But the weirdest thing we passed was a house that had its roof broken and had the front of it surrounded by dirt and spiked logs. I had no idea why it was like that, and I don't think I want to know.

After the broken house, was a square with a few shops and stalls. Except the street was in a circle. On our right was a shop with a scale on the sign in front of it. A different shop was perpendicular to the shop we were looking at and its sign was a cup with weird lines coming out of it. The scale looked better and we went in that shop.

"Welcome. If you see anything you're interested in, please let me know." The man at the counter said.

"Do you have any maps?" Pyrrha asked him.

"A map? Yeah sure, I have plenty. But the real question is do you have the coin to buy them?" The man asked.

"We aren't from here, so we don't have any money." She replied.

He nearly collapsed into laughter.

"So what you're telling me, is that you came into _my_ store without _any_ Septims? What, did you think I'd just give one to you?" The man said, laughing immediately afterwards.

"Y-Yeah, kinda…" She said quietly.

"Well, I admire the fact that you attempted, but I'm not giving away anything for free. Now get out and come back when you have some coin!" The man yelled, pointing to the door.

We walked out of the store, our heads hung. _Is that the only store here?_ I don't think there is anywhere else that sells maps in this city. We stood outside the store for a long time, thinking about what we would do with no money and no map.

"You four! Stop loitering!" A guard yelled at us.

"Do you know anywhere we can get a map for free?" Pyrrha asked timidly. _Man, this has taken a heavy toll on everyone._

"Jorrvaskr, but they only give them to Companions." The guard replied.

"Where is Jorrvaskr?" Pyrrha asked, perking up.

"Up those stairs and on the right. It's the overturned boat." He said, breaking off and walking away when he finished talking. "And no more lollygagging!" He called back as he walked away.

We walked up the stairs he pointed out and walked into another square in the shape of a circle. In the very center was a large tree which looked like it was dying. In the distance, at the top of a tall hill sat the large building we saw from outside the city. To the left was a moderately sized area of houses. And on the right was an overturned boat. _That guard wasn't joking when he said that the building was an overturned boat._ Pyrrha walked up and threw open the door. I was hit by the smell of ale so hard, I nearly fell over. Everyone else seemed to be fine. So I acted like I was as well.

"Welcome to Jorrvaskr, home of the Companions. Is there something you need?" A man said, approaching us from the center of the room.

"We aren't from around here and we were wondering if we could get a map." Pyrrha asked, more confidently than the last few times she asked.

"I think we have a few spares, but you'd have to talk to Kodlak about that. Since we normally only give them to Whelps after they join." The man said.

"Ok. Where is Kodlak?" Pyrrha asked, looking around the room.

"Oh, he's not up here. He's downstairs, allow me to show you." The man said, walking towards a set of stairs on the far right side of the room.

Pyrrha followed him immediately and walked down the stairs behind the man. I shrugged and followed her. Ren and Nora ambled after me. We all, besides Pyrrha, were concerned about the validity of the guard's tip. We walked through a door, our hands resting on our weapons in anticipation of what was on the other side of the door. It was only a hallway with doors to bedrooms. _So it's just quarters?_ I relaxed my grip on my sword and so did Ren and Nora. We walked down a hallway lined with tables ladened down with food. When finally, we reached a doorway that he led us into.

"Kodlak's sitting at the table in there, ask him any questions you may have." The man said. We hesitantly walked in and saw an older man sitting at a table and just relaxing.

"So, I overheard that you have some questions that I can possibly answer. Come, take a seat." Kodlak said, pointing to the chair on the other side of the table.

I looked at the rest of my team. There were four of us. And one chair. I motioned for Pyrrha to sit. She pulled it up and sat down.

"So, we aren't from around here, so we were wondering if we could have a map." Pyrrha asked him, politely.

"Ah, I see. Well, what province are you from then? Cyrodiil? High Rock? Hammerfell?" Kodlak asked. Pyrrha's eyes widened with each name he rattled off.

"Oh...I see. Where are you from then?" Kodlak asked, a bit concerned.

"Not here!" Pyrrha said, eyes as large as dinner plates.

"Look, girl, I need specifics. Names, places, etc." Kodlak said, his patience clearly winding down.

"Uh… Remnant." She said hesitantly.

Kodlak's eyes lit up.

"Do you by chance know a Ms. Rose and Ms. Xiao Long?" Kodlak asked.

"Ruby and Yang!" We all said in unison. We then devolved into asking if they were okay and where they were.

"Ah yes. Those two are some of the best warriors I've seen in a long time. I remember when they first walked in here, so lost and confused. But after a moment's talk, they were out in the yard tossing Vilkas around like a Werewolf does to a poor lost child. They claimed that they're even better fighters when they use a crystal they call 'Dust', but I've yet to see that for myself. Oh! how could I forget! They've also gone a few rounds with the Dragonborn! Even though he came out on top every time, it was still interesting to watch as he tried his best to fight against them. I honestly thought he'd have more trouble with Ms. Xiao Long, but Ms. Rose gave him quite a run for his money with that transforming scythe of hers! I must say, if all your weapons can do something similar to that, then I am thoroughly impressed with what your world has to offer! Now then, just a few weeks ago-"

"But where are they? Are they ok?" Pyrrha interrupted.

"Are they ok? They're perfectly fine, girl! We've treated them like family, after all, we're all Shield-Siblings here." Kodlak said.

"Where are they?" Pyrrha asked.

"Ah, I believe they were sent out to Cracked Tusk Keep to clear it of bandits. Jarl's tend to pay well for things like that." Kodlak said.

"Where is that?" Pyrrha asked.

Kodlak pulled a map out of a bag next to him and marked a spot in the southwest, by a city called "Falkreath".

"That's where you'll find them. Now, you could always wait until they get back-"

"No, I think we'll go after them." Pyrrha interrupted.

He seemed to go wide eyed at her sudden interjection.

"Are you sure? The journey shouldn't take too long for them and they've already been gone-"

"Then we'll see them on the way there." I replied.

"Then I won't stop you. I admire your determination, it's something many people here lack nowadays. Here." Kodlak said, rolling up the map and handing it to Pyrrha. She hesitantly grabbed it and put in her pack.

"Thank you very much for your help. We won't soon forget it." She thanked him genuinely.

 _Does anyone ever rest here?_ We walked from god-knows-where and now we have to go halfway across the province. Granted it is to meet up with our friends, so it isn't as bad. I told everyone to stick to the roads neatly labeled on the map because they would be safer, in theory. On our left were a few farms with farmers lazily tending to their crops. To the right was a large expanse of plains. Beyond the farm was a meadery that sat silently next to the bridge we were about to cross. Light shone softly through the windows as the smell of fermenting mead wafted to us courtesy of the wind. After a fair walk, we reached a humble village next to a river that was named, get this, Riverwood. Much like any small village, it had a central path that was bordered by numerous shops and inns. In this village's case, it was shops and one inn. You could hold your breath as you walked through it.

Shortly after leaving the village, we reached a mine that had weird stones by it. The stones stood upright and had carvings on them depicting various things. One was a warrior and I never looked at the others. I followed Pyrrha along the path, as per usual, and the river that ran beneath the path now widened, becoming a full lake. On the lake was a house that sat vacant. The darkened windows cast a gloomy look over the house as the light reflected from the water danced across the walls. The house was very large; a cylindrical structure towered over the rest of the house, making it seem more like a castle than a house. As the lake faded out of sight, odd things began popping up. Specifically, small pillars sticking out of the ground. Weirder still, the stone arch and stone dragons by the mountains. I wrote seeing them off as fatigue and continued walking. Around the bend from the weird ruins was a large watchtower. Strangely, it was collapsed partially. The very top of the watchtower was broken, but the bottom half was intact. Strange men dressed in furs ran around in it and around the outside. I told my team to steer clear of the strange men and the collapsed tower. They didn't need to be told twice.

As we walked along the road, a small ruin with numerous pillars standing in front of it appeared from the woods. Like all the ruins we saw in this strange land, this one was extremely old. Moss grew on the roof, vines clung to the walls. The age wasn't easy to distinguish due to the age of "new" buildings nearby. The fact that I saw it was astonishing because of the amount of trees growing directly around it and inside of it. Pyrrha pulled far ahead of me, so I hastened my pace to follow her. To get to our destination, we had to leave the path that I had grown accustomed to walking on.

Somehow, Pyrrha found a side path that lead us up a hill. Now that we weren't on the path, I started to enjoy the feeling of autumn, or at least what _felt_ like autumn. We followed Pyrrha up the steep path as it wound above pine trees quietly waving the breeze. Not long after we started walking up the steep path, it leveled out. A broken fort lay in front of us. Walls lay crumpled and decaying. The only thing that kept the fort feel was the wooden ramparts and walls at the gate.

Pyrrha cautiously approached the gate, but relaxed when she saw that it was abandoned. Overturned wooden buckets were spread about the ground. Despite the eerie feeling this place gave me, Pyrrha walked right into the compound. Immediately, four green men jumped up and attacked. Pyrrha casually deflected one strike with the shield on her back and kicked him in the throat. He fell to his knees clutching his throat and catching his breath, but was forced to the ground by a pommel strike by Pyrrha. Pyrrha moved on to the next one, as Ren and Nora each took one on. I struggled to get my sword out, and by the time I did all of the enemies had been subdued.

"Oh come on! Leave some for me!" I complained.

Pyrrha put her hand on my shoulder with a "You'll get them next time Jaune."

"So what are we going to do from here?" Nora asked, looking around the compound.

"What do you mean?" Pyrrha asked.

"Well, from the looks of it, Yang and Ruby haven't passed through here." Nora commented.

"For all we know those are their friends." Ren replied, pointing to the green men that we knocked out.

"Either way, we have to go into the fort to see for ourselves." I comment. Everyone nods in response.

Pyrrha pulled open the door to reveal two men and another green dude. She sighed and quickly subdued the green dude. I saw my chance and bashed one of the two men with my shield. It didn't work. The man was too heavy to be knocked back by me and started to swing his greatsword at me as a counter-attack. My shield was already in front of me, so I raised it to defend myself. A loud metal clang reverberated through my very essence as his sword bounced off my shield. _I guess Pyrrha was right about keeping my shield up…_ I figured that if my shield doesn't hurt him, then my pommel will. I heard and felt a crunch when my pommel connected with his face. I cautiously opened an eye to see what happened and I saw his jaw broken. He was spitting up blood and couldn't move his jaw at all. He grunted at me and ran away, clutching his jaw with both hands. His remaining friend was knocked down as he stared at the man who just ran out.

I looked around and saw that this fort looked like a house. Minus the all-stone construction and the bedrolls by the staircase. It had a loft above the entrance that had a table covered with food on it. Now that I looked around, food sat everywhere. Dead pheasants and rabbits hung above apples and cabbages on a table near the door. I put the sanitary concerns behind me and followed Pyrrha up the staircase to the room at the top. There was collapsed sections of stone near the table covered in food. To the right of the stone was a closed door. Pyrrha shoved open the door and held it open for the rest of us. To the right was a fireplace with a small fire burning happily in it. To the left was a closed door that had the sound of someone snoring on the other side of it. Pyrrha slowly pushed it open, Miló in hand. There was a heavily armored green dude laying in the bed. He didn't move but said "Looking for the blade?" There was a short pause. "You aren't the first!" He threw off the covers and charged at us with a greatsword.

Pyrrha lifted her shield to block his swing before it reached full speed. His swing was stopped and she stabbed through the crescent shaped holes in the rim of her shield. She caught his left shoulder with her sword and drew blood. His left arm fell to his side, clearly hurting him too much to hold it up. Before he could swing the sword with his free hand, Ren shot his other shoulder. The sword clanged as it collided with the ground after slipping out of his hand.

"You'll reach Sovngarde once I'm done with you!" He spat at us.

"Calm down, man, we were just looking for our friends." I said to him.

"You lie! You want the Blade! I won't let you have it!" He shouted at us. He started to step towards Pyrrha, but Pyrrha put Miló against his neck, making him falter slightly.

He regained it quickly. "You can never kill a protector of the Blade!"

"What do you mean by the 'blade'?" I asked him.

"Feigning ignorance will get you nowhere!" He shouted at us. He lunged again and Pyrrha pushed her sword against his throat and slashed his neck. He fell to his knees, blood gushing from his neck and staining his armor red.

Nora wandered into his room and picked up a key off his nightstand. She showed us it and asked what we thought it was for. We had no idea. She ran off and we sat in the room near the fireplace and talked about what we should do. Right after Nora left she shouted at us.

"Guys! I found something!"

We ran down the stairs and found the door that was on the lower floor was wide open and Nora was looking extremely happy.

"Oh cool, the door's open." I said outloud.

"Let's go in it." I said after everyone stared at me for stating the obvious.

Pyrrha motioned for me to lead the way and I hesitantly tip-toed down the stairs and into a room with many barrels of what I assume is alcohol. I stopped to tie my shoe and Pyrrha, Nora and Ren walked ahead of me. _Score._ I quickly, and quietly, grabbed a metal mug lying around and tried to pour myself some of the alcohol.

"Put it down." Pyrrha said commandingly. _She must have eyes in the back of her head…_

I put it down gently. I gulped. "S-Sorry, Pyrrha."

"I'll take that!" Pyrrha said, snatching up all the mugs in the room and throwing them in the corner. "And you are sticking with me." She grabbed my arm and locked it against her side. She was blushing with anger. _I've never seen someone blush with anger, so she must be really mad._

We saw a door in front of us and a small set of stairs to a metal cage that also leads to a door. Nora threw open the door in the room, after unlocking it with the key, and just saw that it led outside. It also let out all the warm air. We all convened in front of the cage and looked at the strange vent on the wall near it.

"What's up with this vent?" I asked everyone as I pulled on the bars with one hand because my other hand was still held firmly against Pyrrha's side.

"I think it's just a vent." Ren commented.

"There's a keyhole." Pyrrha pointed out with her free hand. I tried to pull my arm free as she pointed it out, but she just tightened her grip on my arm.

Nora pulled the key out of nowhere and within a millisecond, jammed it in the hole. She turned it, causing the vent cover to fall open. There was a button inside and Nora slammed it before I could even see what color it was. There was a loud grinding noise and the metal spears that blocked the stairs down to the door dropped. Now I could clearly see the collapsed stone on the walkway and the burnt out candles that were scattered around the area.

"Come on, Jaune." Pyrrha said, pulling on my arm.

Nora sprinted ahead and unlocked the door, throwing open a door leading to…

A turn in the path.

When we turned we saw the fallen stone blocking half of the staircase. The torchlight in the area at the end of the stairs reflected against something liquid, probably water. My internal question was answered when I stepped in the water at the bottom of the stairs. As my right shoe squeaked as we walked past rooms full of stone and random materials. To our front is a room that was no different from the ones on the sides of the hallway, except for two levers and a gate that led to a pedestal with some kind of metal glistening on it. Pyrrha pulled one lever and Ren pulled the other.

Ther vertical metal pillars dropped and rose, respectively, and the horizontal pillars retracted into the sides. Nora's hammer racked the stone flooring as she threw it out, prepared to strike any baddies in the room. She prepared to sprint off to the pedestal on the other side of the room, but Ren grabbed her arm. He quietly pointed to the tripwire strung over the ground. He motioned for Pyrrha to defuse them. Pyrrha calmly walked up and disabled them both as easily as breathing. _She didn't get on the front of the Pumpkin Pete's box for nothing._ She walked over to the pedestal and picked up the metal.

"It's a really old blade." She said, cautiously holding the shards in her hands.

"It looks like it was broken outside of battle." Ren commented, after looking at it.

"Oh well, let's just keep it anyways." Pyrrha said, putting it in her pack.

I waited out front with Nora, mostly so I could watch over her, while Pyrrha and Ren looked around the fort to make sure that Ruby and Yang weren't there. After a few minutes, Pyrrha walked out and shook her head. Pyrrha said only one word before she led us down the road again. "Whiterun."

We came close to Falkreath and because of the late hour, we decided to stop in an inn. Pyrrha pointed us to the only inn in Falkreath. _Dead Man's Drink._ It even had two steins of beer next to each other with froth covering the tops of both of them. Pyrrha opened the door and held it so the rest of us can walk in.

"Are you four going to buy something?" The innkeeper asked without looking up from her accounting book. Some random man walked up to me and threw his arm around my shoulders.

"How are you, kinsman?" He asked, as if asking a family member.

"I'm alright, what about you?" I asked nervously. He laughed.

"Don't be so nervous, kisman, we're both Nords. Be loud! Drink with me!" He said so loud that everyone in the whole room heard him.

"What'll we be drinking?" I asked, with a very false calm.

"You mean you don't know?" He seemed shocked. "Mead, of course!"

"Oh yeah. Sorry. It's been a while since I have seen a fellow… Nord." I said the word very cautiously. He patted my back hard.

"I understand. With all these bloody Imperials around, it makes finding your kin very hard. Tell you what, first round is on me." He called over the innkeeper and order two meads. Before the innkeeper could return with the mead, Pyrrha grabbed my arm and dragged me away.

"We're _going_ , Jaune." She said forcefully. I pitifully waved to the man who looked sullen now that his drinking partner was gone.

"I didn't know non-Nord women were this forceful!" He joked. "Watch yourself, kinsman, having her as a wife will be interesting." He warned. I started to say something, but Pyrrha pulled me into our room and closed the door. She was blushing from what he said, and I probably was too.

"Well, Nora and I will be sleeping on the bed, you and Ren can sleep on the floor." Pyrrha told me as she reclined into bed. "Tomorrow, we head to Whiterun." She added.

We walked back to Whiterun like soldiers marching back home after a crushing defeat. We neared the meadery and I smelled the sweet scent of mead in the air. Once we reached the bridge, however, we saw a man on a carriage pass by and Pyrrha instigated conversation.

"Excuse me, sir?" She called up to him.

"What do you need, miss?" He asked.

"Have you seen our friends?" Pyrrha asked, describing them to the man.

"Yes I have, they passed me the other day. Seems like they were headed for Winterhold." He replied.

"Thank you very much, sir." Pyrrha thanked him and motioned for him to continue his journey.

My lungs burned and my legs felt like jelly as we ran towards Winterhold.

"How much further?" I ask in between gasps.

"Not far. There's a shortcut through a place called 'Wayward Pass'." Pyrrha replied, also in between gasps.

"How long should it take to get there?" I asked her.

"Not too long." She replied.

I gritted my teeth and pushed on, knowing that Pyrrha was always right and we would be done running soon.

I finally felt relieved as I fell back into the snow on the mountainous area. My breath was finally returning to normal. But I soon lost the calm that fell over us because of the loud screeching sound that seemed to come from the mountains themselves.

"It's the weird building that we saw sticking out of the ground over there!" Nora shouted, pointing to a small building with a bronze gate. Something was rising up it, like an elevator.

Blake was on the elevator.

She looked at us with uncomprehending eyes and then collapsed, her face falling into her arms. We called to her as we ran up and what we saw couldn't be put to words.

* * *

 **/AN: Hey guys! Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Actually, this chapter was supposed to be out a few days ago, but some personal issues came up so I was unable to. Anyway, my friends and I are getting closer and closer to the final few chapters of this, but you guys won't have to worry for a while, because you're still a couple chapter behind us. Now then, see you guys in the next chapter!**


	14. The Ancient's Peak

**Chapter 14: The Ancient's Peak**

 ** _Ren's Perspective_**

Who'd have thought that we'd see Team RWBY in the middle of nowhere? If nobody saw that coming, they _certainly_ wouldn't expect a lake of blood staining the floor and surrounding snow red with their blood. The rest of my team stood staring at them numbly; the imagery overpowering all motor functions. I was frantically searching for something, _anything_ , that could help them in their piles of stuff. Out of the pack near Ruby, there was a collection of red bottles with small tags on them. "Potion of Vigorous Healing". Pyrrha ran over to me and I handed her a bottle. She nodded after reading the label and ran off to help Yang, who seemed to be the most injured. I then used one of the bottles to help Blake, and by the time that Pyrrha had finished giving it to Yang, Jaune and Nora began assisting Ruby and Weiss, respectively. After all of the potions were given to team RWBY, all of their wounds started to close and they seemed to rest easier. Pyrrha collapsed in the non-bloody snow in relief, Jaune sighed and Nora started singing quietly.

After a few minutes, Weiss sat up slowly and looked around.

"Oh, hey, Pyrrha." She looked away for a second and then slowly turned back. "Wait, Pyrrha?"

"Yes, Weiss?" Pyrrha replied, smirking slightly.

"When'd you get here?" She asked.

"Right about the time that the elevator reached the top." Pyrrha said casually.

"Oh, Team JNPR is finally here." Blake said, still lying down. "Glad you guys took your sweet time getting here." Blake joked.

"You were cut up real good, Blake." Jaune said.

"That's the Dragonborn of legend for you." Blake trailed off.

"He hurt me." Ruby commented concisely.

"That's an understatement." Nora joked.

"Is Yang still unconscious?" Ruby asked, concern taking over her voice.

"Yeah, she was hurt the worst." Pyrrha replied, frowning in Yang's direction. Ruby crawled over to Yang and knelt beside her.

"Ruby, I'd give her some space. She was hurt pretty-" Pyrrha trailed off after seeing how sad Ruby looked.

"So Blake, you said that the Dragonborn did this to you?" Pyrrha asked, casually shifting the conversation.

"Yeah. We were looking for an Elder Scroll to get us home and Weiss said the one here was the one that could take us home. He also needed it for something and beat us to it." Blake explained.

"So, how'd you get injured?" Jaune asked.

"We didn't know there was more than one Elder Scroll…" Weiss said quietly.

"That doesn't explain how you got injured." Pyrrha prodded.

"We kinda," Weiss squirmed a little, "We kinda started a fight with him over it."

"Clearly you lost." Pyrrha replied.

"It was only because we were his friends that he left us alive…" Blake chimed in.

"So that's how the Dragonborn treats his friends?" Pyrrha mumbled.

"No." Yang said loudly.

"Yang!" Ruby shouted, pulling her into a hug.

"Wait! She is still hurt!" Pyrrha shouted at Ruby.

"It's ok, Pyrrha, Ruby's just giving me a hug." Yang said nonchalantly.

After Team RWBY caught us up on all the things that happened, they stood up and told us that they were going after the Dragonborn.

"Oh no you aren't!" Pyrrha shouted at them as they grabbed their stuff.

"Because we are hurt?" Yang asked angrily.

"No, you aren't going without us." Pyrrha explained. Team RWBY smiled.

"Of course we wouldn't. We just got back together, right?" Yang said, throwing her bag over her shoulder.

"So, where would the Dragonborn be?" Pyrrha asked as we walked back to the nearest city, Winterhold.

"He kinda just left without saying much." Blake replied.

"Do you guys know where he could be going?" Pyrrha asked the remaining members of Team RWBY. Ruby and Weiss shook their heads.

"He said the trek up the Throat of the World is a long one." Yang said.

"Could he be going there?" Blake asked.

"Quite possibly. He meets with the Greybeards and they reside at the monastery at the top of the Throat of the World." Weiss explained.

"Where do we need to go then?" Jaune asked.

"Ivarstead. That is where the first of the 7,000 Steps are." Weiss replied.

I coughed. "7,000 steps? How tall is this mountain?!" I asked, concerned for my back because I would probably be carrying Nora up the mountain.

"Largest in the known world." Weiss said, proud of her gained knowledge.

After leaving the place that we found Team RWBY, we headed dead south and over a mountainous area that spit us out near an odd place inside of a hill. We immediately walked down the road to the right of it, heading to Windhelm. Once we neared Windhelm, we turned right into a smaller path and walked up the hill that it was laid on.

A short ways down the path led to the opening of the landscape, as the hill that blocked our view to the left now faded into the distance. To the left was a large steaming field of rock. Between us and the field was a fast flowing river, probably the smaller half of the one that connects to Windhelm. On the ground opposite the river, small stair-step shaped mounds steamed with clear water flowing down the sides and into the river below.

Oddly, two goats joined us on the road. They belonged to a nearby mill that operated on the river that we were walking along, but it was odd to suddenly be walking abreast with goats. The mill was normal enough, but it looked to be poor, much like the rest of the buildings in this land.

Despite the economic state of this place, the scenery was quite serene; The sound of the water gurgling underneath the bridges, the color of the sun as it dipped overtop of the trees on the ridgeline. It definitely had a feel of pre-industrial technology, which allowed for more beautiful surroundings.

As a fort, much like the ones that we have seen on our past excursions to forts, appeared to our left, a river guarded by a broken fort appeared to our right. _If it weren't for the fallen forts, this place would be beautiful._ The warm sun filtering through the leaves, the waterfalls on the river, it's just a magnificent place to behold.

My legs were starting to ache from the constant uphill walk that seemed to go on forever. The moment the path leveled out, I dropped my mouth at the size of the mountain before me. _This must be the Throat of the World. Ivarstead shouldn't be too far away._

Ivarstead didn't make a big impression on me when we first walked in. To the right was a bridge across the river and towards a path with altars on the side, and to the left was a small farm. The sound of saws attracted my attention to the lumbar yard (basically a small house) that was sawing large logs in half and a second man was chopping them into firewood. A guard walked past us saying something about a vampire slaying cult.

"Where's High Hrothgar?" Weiss asked him. He pointed straight up.

"Good luck climbing the 7,000 steps!" He laughed as he continued on his walk.

We all were concerned as we walked across the bridge and started walking up the path that I saw as we entered. _This is going to be one long walk…_

It got longer.

As soon as we got a short ways up the path, a snowstorm set in putting us in whiteout conditions. We bunched up and tried to conserve warmth; our summer clothes from Remnant uselessly flapping in the freezing breeze. What was once a steady path up the mountain is now a dirt path with small patches of stairs. Someone ahead of me slipped, they were too far away for me to see through the snow, and they slid to the edge, and a second person caught them. I caught a few words over the howling of the wind: "The edge here is a sheer cliff down to Ivarstead." I could do nothing but push forward and hope that the storm ended soon.

The farther up the mountain we got, the less stairs we saw. This caused me to feel like we were going a way that only rarely crossed paths with the correct route. Especially the part where the route dipped and we were walking down as opposed to uphill. _Of all the days that a storm had to happen…_

There was a large section of stairs that went straight uphill, restoring my faith in our path. Sadly, these hope were immediately dashed when I realized that our stairs ended and we were sandwiched between two large sections of rock. Slowly, the rocks began to slide out of view and we walked into an altar. Yang walked right and Pyrrha walked left. I went with my teammate, and the same was true for the people that I saw. We immediately turned right and walked along the snow-covered path, only to walk into Team RWBY a short ways along the road. Most of us laughed it off, but I was concerned about us staying together during this blizzard.

We were heading downhill again, which got me concerned, but there were stairs leading us so it wouldn't be too bad. Then they ended and the path leveled out. We almost walked off a cliff if it weren't for one of the poles on the outside edge of the path. The level path changed to uphill, but that didn't last very long before we were heading downhill again. It headed uphill constantly immediately after.

I froze when the wind began to slow and the snow cleared because a large castle stood on the hill. It was a very old castle with many open windows. On second thought, those windows don't have panes. It was very well made. It had a central tower that was for watching out for invaders. It seemed like a dorm of some kind, like a military academy. A large gust swept over the edge of the cliff, covering us in snow and freezing us. Next thing that I knew, we were walking in the door to escape the cold.

 _ **High Hrothgar**_

Nora shook off the snow like a dog, covering the people nearest to her in snow. Ahead of us we heard the clanking of heavy armor, prompting us to think that it was the Dragonborn. Blake, with her cat-like skills, went ahead of us and lead us in the correct direction to follow the armor clanking. It was odd to see the monastery look on the inside because of the military academy look on the outside. Blake ran towards the doors at the other side of the room and hid on the left wall and looked at it, like she was leaning over to see inside a door frame. I snuck up behind her and looked as well. It was a long hallway with the Dragonborn talking to a monk who was praying in front of a window. The Dragonborn started to turn around and Blake motioned for us all to hide behind the large divider of the stairs. Ruby hid in one of the amphoras that sat on the divider. The rest of us hid behind it and were hesitant to breathe. Heavy steps followed by clanking of armor rang out in the tense silence of the monastery. The steps started to head to the door, but stopped. If it was possible to breathe less, we were. Everything sat still for what felt like an eternity. Then, breaking the ever more tense silence, was the sound of the heavy steps and the door creaking.

Ruby poked her head out of the amphora and we started to breathe again. Blake snuck forward and spotted the Dragonborn in the courtyard outside, causing her to signal for us to follow her. When I reached the door, I saw a large stone door-frame-like structure at the end of the path through the courtyard. Beside that sat a large watchtower, once again instilling a sense of a military academy as opposed to the monastery that it is. The Dragonborn walked through the stone frame and Blake followed behind him quietly, halfway between him and us. " _ **Lok… Vah Koor!**_ " rang out ahead of us, causing the sky to clear and all the fog that hung over the path ahead dissipated. We followed quietly behind him, and I had trouble forcing Nora to maintain sound discipline. As the fog slowly rolled back in, the Dragonborn would take a deep breath before shouting " _ **Lok… Vah Koor!**_ " at the fog. _This can't be his first time coming this far up the mountain_. This path went upwards constantly and had less confusing path markers. Before long, I could look out and see a sort-of bowl shaped land beneath me. On the rims were mountains and the very center was obscured by clouds.

When the top of the mountain was in sight, a large dragon flew over our heads, and when he flew over the Dragonborn he said " _ **Dovahkiin…**_ " and landed at a small altar near the edge. Naturally, we threw ourselves behind the nearest rock and hoped that he didn't see us when he flew over. _Is this where the Dragonborn learned his shouting?_

* * *

 **/AN: Hey guys! Sorry for the short chapter length, probably not what you wanted after the waiting I put you though. But! The chapters that follow will make up for the lack of content, I promise you that. Now then, I'm going to be going back to school (winter break's over), and my job (was out with some broken ribs), so my friends and I will be returning to our "normal" writing schedule, so I hope to deliver chapters to you guys more often. So, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and see you in the next one!**


	15. The Law of the Scrolls

**Chapter 15: The Law of the Scrolls**

 ** _Nora's Perspective_**

" _ **You have it. The Kel - the Elder Scroll. Tiid kreh… qalos. Time shudders at its touch. There is no question. You are doom-driven. Kogaan Akatosh. The very bones of the earth are at your disposal. Go then. Fulfill your destiny. Take the Scroll to the Time-Wound. Do not delay. Alduin will be coming. He cannot miss the signs.**_ " The Dragon said, commandingly.

"Understood, Paarthurnax." The Dragonborn said, walking over to a weird looking column of distorted light.

"If one of you can shock me, I can take him out." I whispered. Ren put his finger in front of his lips. _Oopsies. I was too loud. Oh well._

"No. Let's let this play out and see where it goes." Pyrrha said, keeping her voice so low, I could barely hear it over the wind. I went to ask what she said, but Ren quickly shushed me again. Ren looked at Pyrrha and nodded.

The Dragonborn walked over to the column of light and pulled the Elder Scroll off of his back.

"Steady…" Pyrrha said, her voice still low.

He slowly pulled open the Elder Scroll, causing a large flash of light to engulf the top of the Throat of the World. He closed the scroll right after reading it and fell onto his back. He didn't move at all after reading it.

"Now can I hit him?" I asked Pyrrha.

"Nora!" Ren whisper-shouted at me.

"Aw poo." I put away Magnhild.

"Good Nora." Ren said to me, causing my chest to flutter.

After a few minutes, the Dragonborn stood up and grabbed his head. A massive roar broke through the constant sound of the wind. Team RWBY shivered simultaneously.

"It's the dragon from Helgen…" Blake said.

"What happened at Helgen?" Pyrrha asked.

"This dragon destroyed the entire town in a few minutes. He just showed up and meteors rained from the skies. We met the Dragonborn not too far from there." Blake said, pointing to the Dragonborn, who was currently taking large swigs from a green bottle.

Finally a large, black dragon appeared and started flying above the Dragonborn. Once again, his words cut through the loud wind.

" _ **Bahloki nahkip sillesejoor. My belly is full of the souls of your fellow mortals, Dovahkiin. Die now and await your fate in Sovngarde!**_ "

Alduin, at least I think that's his name, flew overhead of the Dragonborn and he pulled his sword from its sheath. Meteors rained from the sky following the dragon's path, just like Blake said there was. As Alduin flew overhead of the Dragonborn, the second dragon, Paarthurnax I think, flew after him and sent waves of power at Alduin. _So that's where the Dragonborn gets his power from!_ Then, when Alduin slowed, the Dragonborn sent a new wave of power at him. " _ **Joor… Zah Frul!**_ " It hit Alduin in the middle of his body and left a blue vapor-like thing around where it hit. Within a few seconds, Alduin's flaps slowed and he touched down on the mountain, the blue vapor still surrounding his body. The Dragonborn sprinted over and started hacking at Alduin's snout. Alduin roared in response, shooting out fire and burning the Dragonborn's shield. The Dragonborn, much like his character would suggest, did not even flinch and continued to hack at Alduin, even while all the snow within five feet of him had melted. The Dragonborn continued to hack at Alduin and after a moment, the blue vapor disappeared and he took off again, raining meteors from the skies. One landed behind the Dragonborn as he drank from a red bottle, throwing him into the air. One landed behind us, but it far enough away that we didn't get thrown like the Dragonborn.

The Dragonborn struggled to his feet and shot another wave of power at Alduin. " _ **Joor… Zah Frul!**_ " Alduin was moving too fast, and the wave hit Paarthurnax instead. He calmly flapped his way to the ground and continued to pelt Alduin with waves of power. Before long, Paarthurnax was back in the air and back to following Alduin. Alduin came to a stop in the air and began to shoot fire at the Dragonborn. He calmly raised his head and sent the wave of power at Alduin. " _ **Joor… Zah Frul!**_ " Alduin slammed into the ground and swept his head back and forth, spewing fire as he did so. The Dragonborn advanced behind his shield, which was now turning black from the constant burning. The Dragonborn reached Alduin and started hacking him again, and Alduin responded with fire. When Alduin took off, the Dragonborn muttered something under his breath.

"What does he mean 'He's only at half health'?" Blake asked, looking at the Dragonborn. _She can hear like she's a cat!_

" _ **You may have picked up the weapons of my ancient foes, but you are not their equal!**_ " Alduin shouted at the Dragonborn.

"They only defeating you by sending you forward in time, I am going to kill you _now_!" The Dragonborn yelled back.

Alduin did a 90 degree turn and buzzed the Dragonborn with fire. The Dragonborn raised his shield in defense and as Alduin passed overhead he released a shout. " _ **Joor… Zah Frul!**_ " The blue mist surrounded Alduin again, but instead of making him land immediately, he flew around for a bit before landing. Alduin's fire breath burnt the front of the Dragonborn's shield, but the Dragonborn did not seem to notice; he just kept hacking away at Alduin. Alduin took off again and the Dragonborn mumbled something.

"Now Alduin is at a quarter health, according to the Dragonborn." Blake said to us.

Alduin now pulled out all the stops as meteors rained from the sky at a higher rate than before. He roared and now shot fire at the Dragonborn on every pass he did around the mountain. The Dragonborn blocked most of it with his shield but the yelled as some fire got through and burned his shield arm and shoulder. The Dragonborn was grimacing, but otherwise held the shield up. Alduin stopped circling and stopped to taunt the Dragonborn, but got a face full of blue mist because the Dragonborn used the "Make Him Land" shout.

The fight went like the ones before it, but towards the end the Dragonborn shouted "One last swing, and you're dead!" When the swing came, Alduin did not die. Alduin curled up into a ball and began to speak.

" _ **Meyz mul, Dovahkiin. You have become strong. But I am Al-du-in, Firstborn of Akatosh! Mulaagi zok lot! I cannot be slain here, by you or anyone else! You cannot prevail against me. I will outlast you... mortal!"**_ Alduin said, his deep voice making him seem like he spoke louder than he did. After speaking, Alduin uncurled from his ball and took off.

Paarthurnax slowly descended to the ground in front of the Dragonborn and they begin to converse.

" _ **Lot krongrah. You truly have the Voice of a dovah. Alduin's allies will think twice after this victory."**_ Paarthurnax said.

"It wasn't really a victory, since Alduin escaped." The Dragonborn said, shame present in his voice.

" _ **Ni liivrah hin moro. True, this is not the final krongrah - victory. But not even the heroes of old were able to defeat Alduin in open battle. Alduin always was pahlok - arrogant in his power. Uznahgar paar. He took domination as his birthright. This should shake the loyalty of the dov who serve him."**_ Paarthurnax said.

"I need to find out where Alduin went." The Dragonborn said, the fire returning to his voice.

" _ **Yes… one of his allies could tell us. Motmahus… But it will not be so easy to… convince one of them to betray him. Perhaps the hofkahsejun - the palace in Whiterun… Dragonsreach. It was originally built to house a captive dovah. A fine place to trap one of Alduin's allies, hmm?"**_ Paarthurnax said.

"The Jarl might not think so." The Dragonborn retorted.

" _ **Hmm, yes. But your su'um is strong. I do not doubt that you can convince him of the need."**_ Paarthurnax said.

"Understood, I shall return with his permission." The Dragonborn said, turning around and walking _in our direction._

I took out Magnhild and waited for him. Ren tried to make me put it away as he tried to drag me away, but I kept Magnhild out. Ruby pressed up against the rock, Pyrrha pulled out Miló and Akoúo and prepared for the Dragonborn to reach us, Yang crouched before the rest of her team so that none would get hurt. The rest of us were too terrified to move. Paarthurnax seemed to notice us scuffling around because he said something very loud.

" _ **Dovahkiin, there are more among us… Come out and reveal yourselves!**_ _**Waan hei dreh ni ruz zu'u fen fus hei!"**_ Paarthurnax yelled. I started to stand, but Ren pulled me down with a shake of his head. Yang stood up instead.

" _ **What purpose do you have on my strunmah? My mountain? For you should have none."**_ Paarthurnax said. All the while the Dragonborn was staring at her with a mix of confusion and anger.

"We are friends of the Dragonborn." Yang said, emphasizing friends as she stared at the Dragonborn. "I hope you'll permit friends of the Dragonborn on your mountain." Yang said to Paarthurnax with a very subtle taste of anger to her courtesy.

" _ **Is this true Dovahkiin? Are these intruders your fahdiins? Your allies?"**_ Paarthurnax asked.

"I guess you could say that, though when I last saw them I had them within a breath of death." The Dragonborn said, a tiny hint of pride in his voice.

"There was a misunderstanding about which Elder Scroll we needed and the one he needed." Yang said, very nervously admitting failure.

"If you had simply taken the time to research, then there never would've been a misunderstanding." The Dragonborn said.

" _I_ _thought we did_." Yang said angrily staring at Weiss.

"The mere fact that you were so incompetent to not research _and_ arrogant enough to not listen to reason shows that mere children shouldn't handle such objects. Perhaps you getting trapped here was to make you realize how stupid you really are." The Dragonborn said.

Ruby stood up immediately and said "Please, Dragonborn we need your help to get home! I'm sorry we attacked you, but we were just desperate to get back to our homes!" Ruby said, tearing up.

The Dragonborn stopped and instantly turned to face Ruby, conflicting emotions present in his face, yet he remained silent.

Ruby wiped a tear from her eyes and sniffled.

"Your actions here in Skyrim only further prove that the Scrolls damned you to this fate, and nothing can change that. Who knows? Your Scroll is probably not even here in Skyrim." The Dragonborn said, the conflicting emotions slightly leaking into his voice.

Ruby sniffled again.

"We do need your help, Dragonborn." Yang said to him.

"And what makes you think I'm going to give it? My resolve is strong enough to resist the pleas of ignorant fools. With only a few exceptions, but still." The Dragonborn said.

"Well," Ruby wiped a tear from her eyes "I guess I'll never see my family again." She began to cry more.

"All four of you, because I assume the others are with you, are ignorant children that deserved what they got. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to speak with the Jarl Vignar Gray-Mane." The Dragonborn said, starting to make his way past Yang.

Ruby collapsed and the sound of her sobbing could be heard over the constant sound of the wind. "Please." Was all she said, barely audible over the wind.

The Dragonborn stopped, put a moment's thought to it, then continued walking. He was about to turn the corner and see the rest of us when Paarthurnax called to him.

" _ **Dovahkiin! You dare leave these children, who need your aid, to suffer damnation? What is wrong with you?!"**_ Paarthurnax yelled, his voice echoing through the heavens.

"Paarthurnax, they deserve the fate they received. Not only that, I spared their lives only for them to follow me here, to this sacred place of yours, and defile it. Perhaps the only way the could've learned was to take the journey to Sovngarde." The Dragonborn said. _What happened? He wasn't like this a few days ago._

Yang turned to us and began to speak. "Well guys, I guess we aren't going home. We can just wander the in the plains of Whiterun until we all die. Come on Ruby, our beloved dog, Zwei, will be okay. Come on everyone, let's all just go await Sovngarde." Yang said sadly.

" _ **Hold kiir! - children! I wish to speak with you."**_ Paarthurnax said.

"What do you need, sir?" Yang asked politely.

" _ **Come, there are some questions I would like to ask you. Dovahkiin, I expect the same from you."**_ Paarthurnax said, with a bit of a harsher tone towards the end.

"All of us, or just me?" Yang asked.

" _ **Pah do hei - all of you."**_ Paarthurnax said.

First, Ruby stood up and followed Yang, then Weiss, Blake, Pyrrha and Jaune. Then Ren and I stood up and followed them.

" _ **Hmm… I did not expect such a large number of outworlders. Eight in total, all children… interesting."**_ Paarthurnax said.

"We traveled together." Pyrrha said.

" _ **So it seems."**_ Paarthurnax said. The Dragonborn got down on both knees in front of Paarthurnax. We copied him, expecting it to be the norm.

" _ **I would like to hear what happened in full detail, to best clear the air between you all. Zu'u fent gon voth hei - I shall start with you, outworlders."**_ Paarthurnax said.

"So, Weiss" Yang pointed at Weiss "read about a Elder Scroll. When we were sent to this world, it was explained to us that we had read an Elder Scroll to go home. In our desperation to get home, we ran to get the first Elder Scroll we knew about, which is the one that the Dragonborn currently has. We... uh… we got a little too riled up. Just a _little_. And tried to make the Dragonborn give us the Elder Scroll. However, the actual fight began when the Dragonborn kneed and smashed Ruby" Yang indicated Ruby "into a wall. From there, we nearly died but were left alive by the Dragonborn and saved by our other four friends." Yang pointed to my team as she finished her side of the story.

" _ **Is this true, Dovahkiin?"**_ Paarthurnax asked.

"For the most part, yes, it is." The Dragonborn said.

"'For the most part'?" Yang asked.

"After I cleared Alftand and traversed Blackreach, I arrived at the Tower of Mzark. Once I reached the Elder Scroll, I began retrieving it when the four in question arrived. I tried to talk them down but they refused to listen, to the point where they blocked my only escape. So of course my only option was to force my way out, after which they assaulted me, and I had to defend myself. I did what I did in hopes that they would learn their lesson and stop meddling with forces they don't understand. Clearly that didn't work, and now we're here." The Dragonborn said.

Yang opened her mouth to speak, but Ruby stopped her with a shake of her head.

" _ **Hmm… so both sides are at fault here. However… I believe the Dovahkiin is right in saying you acted far out of turn, if you had impeded him even slightly longer than you did, Alduin would have been one step further ahead of us."**_ Paarthurnax said.

"We didn't intend for that to happen. I'm sorry that I nearly caused the world to fall to him." Ruby said quietly.

Paarthurnax lifted his head higher into the air, seemingly in thought, before bringing it back down to us.

" _ **You claim to seek an Elder Scroll, yes?"**_ Paarthurnax asked.

"Yes." Ruby responded.

" _ **Hmm… perhaps I may be of some freyend - assistance."**_ Paarthurnax said.

"That would be great!" Ruby said happily.

" _ **First, a gelaarend - an explanation to clear some misconceptions. Whilst the Scrolls all look to be the exact same, their contents vary widely. Do not trust them by their looks alone, for it could be dilos - be deadly."**_ Paarthurnax said.

"How will we know which one's the right one?" Pyrrha asked, speaking up for the rest of us.

" _ **You must know where you're looking, which brings me to my second point. Some of the Scrolls have the ability to shatter time, or reality itself. When this happens it creates a tiid ahraan - a time wound."**_ Paarthurnax said, using his head to motion to the "Time Wound" behind us.

"Well, we are trying go to a different world." I said plainly.

" _ **I was getting to that. Now, us Dov can sense these wounds, and we are able to locate them."**_ Paarthurnax said.

"But…" Pyrrha prompted.

" _ **Ah, krosis, time has ravaged my body and mind. And my ability to locate these wounds has deteriorated over the ages."**_ Paarthurnax said.

"That's alright." I said.

"Yeah, you gave us information on the-" Pyrrha was cut off.

" _ **I wasn't finished. Whilst my ability to locate them may have deteriorated, I can still give a somewhat… broad location."**_ Paarthurnax said.

"Where is the general location?" Pyrrha asked.

" _ **The Scroll you seek is somewhere in the Velothi Mountains!"**_ Paarthurnax yelled, and with that, he took off towards the sky, rocketing out of sight.

"Where is that?" I asked, looking at the sky.

"It's the mountain range that borders Skyrim and Morrowind, located east of here." The Dragonborn said, standing up.

Everyone but Yang and Pyrrha stood up and began talking amongst themselves. I heard Pyrrha grab Yang and ask a question quietly.

"Remember back at the lift you said no when I asked if this was how the Dragonborn treats his friends. What did you mean?" Pyrrha whispered into Yang's ear, causing me to nearly not hear it.

"That is not how he treats his friends normally because we provoked him." Yang explained. Pyrrha nodded and we all bunched up.

"Sorry I blocked your way out in Alftand!" Ruby said to the Dragonborn.

"No need to be so dramatic, I let my Nordic blood get the better of me, if anyone should be apologizing, it should be me." The Dragonborn said, putting his hand on Ruby's head. Ruby smiled in response.

Yang put her hand on the Dragonborn's free shoulder. "I understand letting anger get the better of you. You should see what I do when my hair gets messed up." Yang said jokingly.

The Dragonborn grimaced at the thought, but quickly recomposed himself before continuing.

"And you four, the new arrivals, I would once again like to apologize for my behavior in Hjaalmarch. There were plenty of other ways we could've gone about that." The Dragonborn said.

"It was warranted. We killed your brothers in arms. I would've done the same." Pyrrha waved off his apology.

"Wait. You killed Stormcloaks?" Yang asked, shocked.

"The Stormcloaks are alright people." Blake commented, her bow twitching.

The Dragonborn looked at Blake in confusion. _I guess he saw her bow twitch._

"How do you make your bow move on it's own like that?" The Dragonborn said.

Blake pulled her bow off, showing her cat ears. "Using these, I heard you call out the health levels of Alduin. What's up with that?" Blake asked.

"Well, you see-" The Dragonborn was cut off.

"You have cat ears?" Jaune asked, quite loudly.

"They look so fuzzy!" I said.

"So _that's_ how you knew about Faunus nightvision in Oobleck's class!" Jaune said, connecting the dots.

Ren merely nodded in response.

"They look good on you." Pyrrha commented. The Dragonborn looked at everyone in my team with confusion.

"Aren't we getting a little off topic here? Sure she's part Khajiit but aren't there more important things at hand for you eight?" The Dragonborn asked.

"You're right." Pyrrha said, angrily, as she stared at us. "There _are_ more important things we could be talking about."

Jaune and I nodded.

"Continue, Dragonborn." Pyrrha said politely.

"Whilst I cannot assist you in finding where Paarthurnax meant to tell you, I can point you in the right direction." The Dragonborn said.

"That's great!" Ruby said.

"What about the health thing?" Blake asked.

"Well, I see a compass like thing in the top center of my vision that shows places i've been and haven't been. But it also shows the health of any enemies and their names. On the bottom of my vision, I can see how much health I have, how much stamina and magicka." He explained. I only faintly heard what he said, catching a word here-and-there. None of what I heard made any sense. The wind had picked up and it was too loud for any of us to hear.

"Did you guys hear that?" Blake asked us, nearly shouting.

"No, the wind was too loud." Yang replied, cupping her hand around her ear.

" _ **Lok… Vah Koor!**_ " Suddenly, the wind stopped.

"This better?" The Dragonborn asked.

"Can you repeat what you said, Dragonborn?" Blake asked.

"No problem, I simply guess my enemies health based off the wounds I cause. Nothing more, nothing less." The Dragonborn said, plainly. The Dragonborn winked at Blake.

"So how can you help us find where we need to go?" Pyrrha asked, moving past the answer.

"There's a High Elf I met in Markarth who knows more about Dwarven Ruins than anyone else in Tamriel. He should know where to start searching for the ruins you seek.." The Dragonborn said.

"But that's on the other side of Skyrim!" Yang protested.

"What's Skyrim?" I asked.

"Look, he's your only means of finding the ruins that hold the Elder Scroll you seek. You'll just have to deal with it." The Dragonborn said.

"Well, I better get my hiking boots and get ready to go." Ruby said, undoing her boot laces.

"You four" The Dragonborn pointed to Team RWBY "should be fine. The others" he pointed at us "you may have to keep an eye on."

"We walked from Hjaalmarch to Cracked Tusk Keep and found this" Pyrrha pulled out the blade we found "before we showed up at Alftand. Plus we got a map from Kodlak." Pyrrha protested. "We know what we're doing."

The Dragonborn eyed the shards of the blade before snatching them from Pyrrha's hand, leaving her in a state of semi-shock.

"But-"

"This just proves my point from earlier, _don't meddle with forces you don't understand._ " The Dragonborn said, a harsh tone in his voice.

"Kodlak said that's where Team RWBY was and we found it lying around." I explained.

"Yeah!" Jaune backed me up.

"The forces of the Daedric Prince of Destruction are far out of your realm of understanding." The Dragonborn said, harshly.

"Mehrunes Dagon?" Weiss asked.

"Simply put, yes. You're correct Weiss." The Dragonborn said. Weiss perked up at being right.

"Now then, you have a long journey in front of you. I suggest you get on your way." The Dragonborn said, and with that, he began walking down the mountain.

"Goodbye, Dragonborn! Talos guide you!" Ruby said to him cheerily.

We all waved and said varied goodbyes.

"Talos guide you!" He yelled back. _It almost looked like he was grinning when he heard Ruby say that._

And with that, we followed after the Dragonborn down the mountain, but only once we had prepared for our trek.

* * *

 **/AN: Hey guys! Sorry for the wait, this chapter should've been up two days ago, but scheduling issues prevented me from doing so. Anyway, my friends and I are working our hardest to keep these chapter coming on a decently timed basis, and we're also trying our best to make sure the chapters are of good length as well. Our journey is nearing its end, and I hope that you'll stick though to the very end! See you in the next chapter!**


	16. Pathway to the Past

**Chapter 16: Pathway to the Past**

 ** _Pyrrha's Perspective_**

"No, we gotta go north!" Yang yelled, pointing at a path that goes past Whiterun.

"I'm telling you, this southern one is faster!" I yelled back.

"Fine. But when we die, it'll be on you." Yang said, finally agreeing with me.

"OK, follow me, everyone!" I lead everyone through the streets of Ivarstead.

As soon as we passed the Vilemyr Inn, I heard Weiss mutter something to Blake.

"Why is Pyrrha leading us?" She asked, the sound of her wounded pride ringing through.

"Because I have the map." I said to her, showing her the map in my hands.

"I have a map." Weiss said, pulling out a map.

"Same here." Said Blake, pulling out hers.

"Ruby and I have maps." Yang added, pulling out two maps. "I hold onto Ruby's for her." She explained.

"Well, I chose the path, so…" I tried to defend myself.

"Yeah!" Jaune exclaimed. I blushed a little when Jaune backed me up.

I could feel the inter-team tension building, and I had a plan to stop it.

"If you guys want to nominate a person, they can work with me on which path to take as we go." I offered.

"It should be our team leader!" Yang said, clapping Ruby on the back.

"Seconded." Blake said.

" _Now wait just a second!_ " Weiss started. "I have studied these maps very well, so I should be the person to be our delegate." Weiss said, proudly touching her chest and walking forward to meet me.

"Weiss, what are you doing?" Blake asked.

"Obviously I am going up to be our delegate." She said, turning red from possible embarrassment.

Yang sighed, facepalming. "Weiss… Come here. Ruby, go there." She said shortly.

"Why should I-" Weiss started.

"WEISS!" Yang yelled.

"OK." Weiss hurried back and let Ruby join me at the front.

"Good of you to join me at the front." I said, smiling to Ruby. She smiled back and helped direct our path.

At our first crossroads, we turned right and were heading to a small town called "Helgen" which Team RWBY says was the first city that they saw and where they met the Dragonborn. They didn't say how they met the Dragonborn or why they were so reluctant to head back to Helgen. _Is that why Yang wanted to go towards Whiterun?_

The road that we turned on went from the semi-woodland area to a very snowy mountain pass. With the lowest peaks of the Throat of the World surrounding us on the thin path, we slowly walked single-file. Two large pillars, with eagle heads on the top, sat on either side of the path. _What could've stood here in the past?_ The path was on an incline, causing me to frantically check the map to make sure that we aren't climbing up the Throat of the World on some secret path.

As the path leveled out, strange things began popping up. A dead cat-woman lay next to a fallen tree. As we walked past the tree, we saw two carriages with a total of 5 cat-people dead in various places. Three humans in armor started shouting at us from the hill adjacent to the path. Three gunshots rang out. Three bloody, and dead, raiders slid down the hill.

"C'mon guys, we've got to at least bury them." I said, pointing to the 6 dead cat-people. As the rest of the group dug the graves, I pulled the shooter, Ren, aside.

"So why'd you waste dust and kill those people?" I asked him.

"They killed innocent people." He stated.

"But why waste dust?" I asked him.

"So we wouldn't lose more innocent people." He replied.

We quickly got the graves dug and slide the bodies into the graves. Blake fashioned gravestones, just to show that there were graves, we didn't know their names or which gods they favored.

Leaving the bad vibes behind us, I noticed that we weren't far from Helgen. _Hopefully I can find out why Team RWBY seems to be hesitant when it is mentioned._ What happened to the town, I don't know. All I know is that people, Team RWBY included, talk about it in hushed voices.

In the distance I saw a large wall with a gate in the center. _This is it!_

Once we reached Helgen, I peeked in the gate. There were collapsed buildings, burnt corpses and signs of destruction at every building. What looked like a once prosperous city, now looked like a city destroyed by war. I looked in horror from Helgen to the people who might've been here for it.

"What happened here?" I asked Team RWBY.

"You know that big black dragon that the Dragonborn fought on the Throat of the World?" Blake asked in reply.

"Yeah…"

"He used the meteor power of his to destroy this city." She said.

"He swooped down out of nowhere and brought the meteors upon us." Yang added.

"Good thing the Imperial soldiers denied us at the gates…" Weiss commented.

"Weiss, that's the first right thing you have said in a few days." Yang said to Weiss.

"Moving on, we need to go to the path here to the right." I pointed out.

"What path?" Nora chimed in.

"The dirt one." I replied.

"Oh no, we are _not_ walking around on any dirt roads! My heels will get dirty!" Weiss complained.

"Weiss, shut up." Blake said.

From outside the city the sounds of bandits making a ruccous could be heard. In the distance, as we neared the path that we needed to get on, were some ruins that had the looked like an old palace that just had the roof and walls rotted off, with the structural supports still standing. Team RWBY seemed to have a sense of deja vu, and I felt like they would have seen this as they were here, when they first appeared in this world.

"This is where the Dragonborn walked to Riverwood." Ruby commented.

"How'd you know that?" Yang asked.

"It's the only other path to Riverwood from here." Ruby replied, looking at the map in her hands.

As we neared the turn, the tops of the roof structures of the ruins were much clearer. On some sat the heads of dragons, on others was nothing. At the center of the ruins were a set of stairs that lead to a dark doorway. Beyond the doorway, I saw nothing.

"Left now, guys." I said to them, pointing to the left pass.

We turned left to see a downward sloping path with a right turn at the end. Once we reached the turn, the downward slope got much steeper; Weiss nearly fell as we walked down it. From there, it was a left turn that opened up into an area where sections of dirt hung over the ground beneath it and where dead trees lay decaying on the side of the path. Far to the right, a river ran softly down the countryside. The further we went down the trail, the larger the river got, it was then that I realized that it was the same lake we walked past on our way to Cracked Tusk Keep. On our way down I saw the ruins on either side of the road that we had seen when we were last on this path.

Due to the familiarity of the path, my mind fell into a lull that was shaken off when we reached a turn. Ruby told me it was a right turn, and I realized that the last time I was here, I took a left turn. This path had a slight uphill slope to it, which heavily contrasted the other route. At the peak of the hill, sat a mill with a creek flowing swiftly under a bridge. The mill seemed to be unoriginal as compared to the others I have seen in this world. It was the lake it sat on that interested me. On the opposite shore sat a sunken fort. Half of the ramparts lay under the cool waves, the other half sat on the shore and trailed into the water. The creek that ran through the mill, and the lake itself, seemed to be overflowing with water; there were many trees clogging the river, and there were many places in the lake that seemed to be accessible by land, but are no longer able to be accessed in the same fashion.

The path beyond was more open than the path we previously walked along. With the open feeling, came more open sights. I saw many overlying dirt ledges, but also 10-15 foot high rock outcroppings on the sides of the road. In between two large rock outcroppings lay a humble path that led to a cave. I marked the location on my map so I could find out what's in it later.

After a short walk downhill, mountains began popping up on either side of the path, and in the distance a large clearing that is many miles wide came into view. As we reached the end of the mountains, the bowl shaped look of the land was very clear. Mountains in the distance made the rims of the bowl. A gentle cloud cover hung over the low lying land in the center, making it look more bowl-like.

Speaking of bowl-shaped things, as we headed down the hill, a bowl-shaped hole in the ground was bordered by two arches made of stone. Strangely, the dirt looked freshly turned and it made the area that much more creepy. I leapt into the air when a fox darted out of the brush by the street sign as we approached and he trotted over to the hole in the ground on the other side of the road. He sniffed the dirt, looked back at us, looked back at the dirt, then darted off into the plains. While that made me curious, we needed to get home more than I needed to satisfy my curiosity, so we turned left and kept walking down the path.

"That looks so amazing and so creepy! What do you think it is?" Ruby asked, practically leaping in excitement.

"The College mentioned that dragons were being reborn, so that might be what happened." Weiss explained.

"That's a dragon?" Ruby replied, her mood sinking extremely fast.

" _That means it's still around here!_ " Jaune shouted, staring at the sky through his fingers because he covered his face with his hands.

"Jaune." I said calmly.

"Yes, Pyrrha?" Jaune asked shakily, removing one hand.

"It's probably long gone." I said to him.

"Oh." He removed his other hand and then semi-casually brushed off his chest to hide his blushing face.

We walked in silence for a little while before Jaune shouted in terror.

"What's wrong?" I ask worriedly, taking out my sword.

"Oh nothing." Jaune said shakily, blushing.

"Nothing?" I asked a little angrily.

"A rabbit-jumped-out-into-the-path." He said.

"Care to repeat that?" I asked.

"He said that a rabbit jumped out into the path." Weiss said.

"Jaune, I'm fairly certain that rabbit was more afraid of you, than you are of it." I said, with a smile because he was ok.

When the road forked again, not long after the last fork, we turned left to continue along the path we needed to go down. Then a group of three cat-people, which Weiss called Khajiits, walked past us. One said "Khajiit has wares if you have coin." with a very toothy grin. A very _sharp_ toothy grin. The road was then blocked on either side by mountains again, making me think this was a narrative for the whole of Skyrim. A massive fort sat on the hillside with the rocks that sat on the side of the pathway blocking any way up to the fort. Lights shown from the windows of the fort and a Stormcloak banner flapped proudly above the highest point on the fort. Then came sounds of hooves on rock. I looked to my right and there was a large stag dashing down the rocky hill and ahead of us on the path. _So majestic_.

Off to the left, as we turned, sat a beautiful sight; a ruin with a cascade of water falling quietly down the hillside accompanied by a few other smaller cascades. Two large pillars with eagles on them sat behind one falls and another off to the side of the center falls. All in all, I could've stared at it forever, but we had places to be, so I motioned for everyone to continue.

On a small offshoot path that was not too far from the place we stopped to see the ruins, three Stormcloak soldiers escorted a man in rags up the path. He stumbled a little and the officer motioned for one of the soldiers to shove him. It made me question the Stormcloaks more.

There was a Khajiit standing on the road as we walked past.

"M'aiq once walked to High Hrothgar. So many steps, he lost count." He said.

"What? There are 7,000 steps." Weiss said incredulously.

"M'aiq is done talking." M'aiq said.

"But I'm not!" Weiss protested.

"M'aiq is tired now. Go bother somebody else." M'aiq replied, turning away from Weiss.

After that, the pathway steepened, which made my calves protest after all this walking. Good thing there's an inn not too far away. At the peak of the short hill, I noticed that to the right was a small creek and to the left is the river that we walked along since I saw the ruins. But when the sides of the path got narrower due to both bodies of water, a large crab leapt out of the dirt as we past. Jaune shrieked like a girl along with Weiss. Nora just pulverized it in one swing with Magnhild. Jaune cleared his throat in as much of a masculine way as he could and Weiss said "hmph" and lifted her head in a stuck-up way.

Thankfully for my feet, the path leading to the inn came into sight and was within reach. I walked up the incline, to the dismay of my legs, and saw the inn come into view. I was so ready to stop walking that I cut across the grass because the path would've wrapped around and I was having none of the idea of walking more than I have to. I rested my right hand on the inn walls and walked to the left around the inn to reach the doors. A man stood up from the benches as we rounded the corner and told us to head inside because two people named "Eydis" and "Skuli" were inside the inn.

I threw open the door and the heat of a large fire in the center of the room washed over me. I welcomed the warmth and sat down in the nearest chair. Everyone else followed my lead. After about 10 minutes of us sitting on the benches, a child walked up to us and asked us to not drink too much or else he would have to throw us out.

Yang laughed at him. "Don't worry, we're underage." She said.

"What's 'underage'?" He asked quizzically.

Yang looked at him, then at the mead in the room. "I'll uh…" Yang said "I'll take a mead then."

"Same!" Jaune said.

"Jaune!" I shouted.

"Nevermind!" He replied, hanging his head in shame.

"Two meads, please." Nora announced, holding up two fingers.

"So, four meads?" The kid asked.

"No, add one more." Weiss added.

"OK. 5 meads." The kid stated "Those will be right out. Any other orders?"

"We need a room." I said to him.

"Then talk to my mom, Eydis." He pointed to a woman who stood behind a counter at the other end of the room.

"OK guys, I'll go get us a room. I'll be right back." I said, standing to walk over to the counter.

"My 7 friends and I would like a room." I said to the blonde-haired woman.

"Hmm…" She thought for a second. "We have more than one room. If you want, you can rent two rooms and split up in them." She offered.

"We'll do that." I replied.

"OK great. That'll be 20 gold."

I pulled out my gold pouch and gave her the 20 gold.

20 tankards sat empty on the table.

" _You guys drank 20 tankards worth of mead?!_ " I shouted.

"Lissenere," Yang slurred "I'm ok to drive, mom."

"Yang, I'm not your mom. But how in the name of Talos did you drink that much in the short time I was gone?"

"Did someone say 'Talos'?" The innkeeper asked from across the room.

We looked at each other.

"He stayed in this very inn." She said, preparing to continue, but I yelled at Yang instead of listening,

"What's 20 tanks in the long run?" Yang asked me.

"Did Yang drink them all?" I asked Ruby, who promptly shook her head. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Jaune try to sneakily get up.

"Jaune…" I said, my voice on the edge of yelling.

"Yes, Pyrrha?" He asked, his back to me and fear in his voice.

"How much of Yang's mead did you drink?" I asked, my voice now closer to the edge.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Jaune replied, his back still facing me.

"Jaune, turn around.' I commanded. He turned around quickly, somehow lost his balance and fell to the ground.

"I can't get up!" Jaune complained, his feet flailing.

"Jaune... just get up." I said, my hand covering my face in shame.

"Everything's all shaky!" He said, his feet falling to the ground.

"What are you talking about?!" I yell.

"Like the ceiling is moving." He replied.

"The ceiling is…" I looked at everyone at the table. "Wait, where's Nora?!" I yell noticing that Nora was gone.

The front door burst open.

"I… AM TALOS!" Nora yelled, holding Magnhild in the air.

"I thought I told you to stay outside!" The kid said to her.

"TALOS DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO 'STAY OUTSIDE' TALOS IS _DIVINE_!" Nora yelled.

"Go to your room then." He replied.

"Talos will go to his room. UNDER HIS OWN WILL." Nora replied, running to the room that "Talos stayed in" and promptly jumping on the bed. She was so drunk that she missed the bed, jumped once, fell over, threw up and passed out.

"Well that was..." Ren commented.

"I thought you would limit her drinking!" I said to Ren.

"Drunk Nora is scarier than Sober Nora." Ren replied.

"Wait. One other person ordered mead." I said, scared that there was one more drunk person.

"Me." Weiss said, waving over her three-quarter full mead. She looked extremely sober. "This is only my first." She explained.

"Well at least we have one person here who can drink responsibly." I commented.

"So how much _did_ each person drink?" I asked Ruby.

"Yang drank 9, Jaune drank 2, and Nora drank 9." Ruby replied.

"Yang and Nora drank the same amount?" I was confused by that fact.

"They had a drinking contest." Blake told me from behind her hand, which covered her face in shame.

"Of course they did. So Nora is in the Talos suite, I think the other two drunks should join her in there. Plus one other brave soul." I said to the group.

"I'll watch over Nora." Ren volunteered dejectedly.

"So that leaves Ruby, Weiss, Blake and myself in the other room." I counted of the people remaining.

"Yup." Ruby said.

"Yeah." Weiss agreed.

"Mmhmm." Blake acknowledged.

"Great. Is anyone else tired?" I asked.

Everyone raised their hands, except Yang and Jaune who were currently laughing about how Yang couldn't get burnt by the fire in the center of the room.

"Alright, let's go to bed then." I announced, moving the two drunks to their room and putting them to bed.

The sun had risen, so it was time to get the drunks up. I walked into the room and saw Yang and Jaune sharing the center bed. They were spooning. Yang was the big spoon. I have to admit, I felt jealous. That probably came out in the way I woke Yang up.

"Get up!" I shouted, yanking the curtains open.

"My head!" Yang complained, rolling away from Jaune and pulling the fur sheets over her head. I went to get Jaune up, but he was already wide awake. His face was bright red and his eyes were as big as dinner plates.

"Are you okay, Jaune?" I asked him, crouching next to the bed.

"F-F-Fine. She was the big spoon wasn't she?" Jaune asked. I laughed .

"She was."

"What's this 'spoon' nonsense?" Yang asked.

"You spooned Jaune." I explained.

"And the problem was?" Yang asked angrily.

"Y-You were the big spoon." Jaune told her.

"Cool. Can I go back to sleep now? My head is killing me." Yang said.

"No we have walking to do." I replied.

"Ugh." Yang said, rolling out of bed and falling on the floor.

"Maybe you shouldn't have gotten into a drinking game with Nora." I mentioned the reason she's hungover.

"Hey, shut up. I won that contest." Yang said angrily from the ground.

"I'm not so sure about that!" Nora said, looking perfectly fine.

"Nora, you're okay?" I was shocked by this turn of events.

"Yeah. It was only mead." She replied,

"B-but… y-you… What?" Yang asked, sitting up.

"You two can compare hangover notes while we finish our walk to Markarth." I silenced both of them.

"Before you guys leave, kindly pay your tab." Eydis said to us from the counter as we were walking out.

"How much is it?" I ask, waving those who drank over.

"900 septims." She replied calmly.

I froze, and so did everyone else.

"I have 200 septims." Yang said, looking into her coin pouch.

"What's a septim?" Jaune asked. Eydis reached over the counter and smacked him.

"You only had two meads last night. You should not be this brain-dead." Eydis said to me.

Blake sighed as she walked up to us. "I'll pay." She dropped a large bag of coins onto the counter.

Eydis counted them. "This is enough. Come again." She said, waving as we left.

"So, where'd you get that kind of money?" I asked Blake as we walked along the path.

"My job." She replied, giving me a look that clearly said "Shut up".

"She robs people for a job." Ruby said cheerily.

"H-How'd you find out?" Blake asked, her eyes widening.

"The Dragonborn told us after he helped the Stormcloaks take Whiterun." Ruby explained.

"So… Robbing people, huh?" I asked her.

Blake blushed and hung her head.

We walked over a bridge that was right next to the inn and noticed a shrine to some god that I had never seen before. At the main pillar sat the symbol of the god. It was a blooming flower with two of the pedals wrapping over the top of the flower.

"Who is this for?" Nora asked, her hand close to touching the flower.

"Dibella." Weiss answered.

"Ooooo. Cool name!" Nora said, touching the flower now. After she touched it, the shrine lit up and she glowed as well.

"What was that?" I shouted.

"Nora, are you okay?" Ren asked, concern taking over his voice.

"I…. AM DIBELLA!" She shouted.

"Nora, you aren't Dibella." Weiss said.

"Yes I am." Nora replied.

"Yes… You are." Weiss said, now fully supporting Nora.

"Nora..." Ren warned.

"She's not 'Nora', she's Dibella!" Weiss said angrily.

"Okay, that's enough. Come on you two we have places to be." I told them.

When we reached an area where a road crossed over the road we were walking on and led to a bridge. I felt tense as we neared that area, but was unsure as to why that was.

"Kill them!" Someone yelled.

"For the glory of the Forsworn!" Another yelled.

There's the reason.

One warrior ran down the hill to our left, two came down from the bridge and two came towards us on the path. There was one archer up on the hill that was slightly behind us and rained arrows down on us. Two mages sat comfortably further ahead on the path. I knew how to defend from this.

"Weiss, glyph up and take out the archer." I told Weiss, who promptly leapt up to the archer and cut him down in one stroke.

"That's weird." She said.

"What's weird?" Ruby asked.

"He died in one slash." Weiss explained, staring at her sword.

"Ooohhh yeeaaahhh." Nora said, standing taller and pulling out Magnhild.

"First you, then all of the Reach!" One of the warriors shouted at us.

"I'm gonna break your legs!" Nora yelled, charging them. Stupidly, one of the mages shot a lightning bolt at her. Nora ran two times faster and then, when she hit the first warrior, knocked him all the way to Markarth.

"What the…!" The other shouted and he too got knocked 50 meters up the cliff face.

The mage who shot the lightning switched to frost, but the other didn't. With the second lightningbolt, Nora hit the mages and obliterated them on contact. The other three warriors looked at Nora with fear in their eyes. Nora smiled at them and lifted Magnhild. They dropped their weapons and ran.

"Aww… They ran!" Nora sadly said.

"Wait… You're not Dibella!" Weiss said when she looked at Nora.

"But, I am." Nora said, waving her hands like she was casting a spell.

"No, you aren't." Weiss replied. Nora lost her energy immediately.

"It didn't work again…" Nora said sadly.

On the map it was a straight shot to Markarth, but here we were before a large hill at a very steep incline. I cursed Skyrim's hilly geography mentally. My legs were killing me after all of this change in elevations and the hills. When the hill flattened, I could see a waterfall off to the left and to its right sat a building unlike any of the ones in the cities we have been to. It most resembled the ruins that brought us to this god-forsaken world. _It has a positive feeling already!_ We crossed a bridge and a mudcrab sat on the other side of it. Nora happily smashed it to bits with Magnhild. I now saw the tower I noticed and realized that it is a windmill on a small farm. Across the path from the farm was a mine with three or four buildings in front of the entrance.

We were finally so close to the gates of Markarth! We walked under the large guard towers and up the stairs to the gates.

"First time in Markarth, traveler? Take my advice. You see anything, don't get involved. The city guard will take care of it." A guard stopped us at the gates.

"Why, Mr. Stormcloak?" Nora asked.

"See, there you go. Getting involved. Don't ask too many questions in Markarth. Safer for everyone that way." He replied. "Head on in. Keep your nose clean, and you won't have any problems with us."

And so, we walked through the gates of Markarth at long last.

* * *

 **/AN: Hey Guys! You guys doing good? Things are going quite smoothly on our end, seeing as how we now have an extra member added on to our team. So now the four of us are working as hard as we can (with our schedules and shit) to get these chapter out to you guys as soon as we can. We only have a couple chapters left on our front, so soon ( _soon_ being used loosely here), you guys will be getting a new chapter every week! Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and see you in the next one!**


	17. Knowledge Long Forgotten

**Chapter 17: Knowledge Long Forgotten**

 ** _Blake's Perspective_**

Pyrrha proudly walked through the gates of Markarth and began to speak with a guard.

"We need to find the Jarl. Where would he be located?"

While the two talked about the Jarl's office, I took in our surroundings. Straight above us was a building on top of a rock that rested on a house in front of us. All of the buildings were in the same style as the ruins we went through to get here. I could hear the sounds of miners off to my left, but it was faint. I sniffed the air and it smelled strongly of smoke and melted silver. _That could be what they are mining_. Off to the left where the mining was taking place, a large waterfall fell serenely into the basin of water that was under the ore smelters. The small drainage channel that some water was flowing down also fed into the same basin as the waterfall. To my right was two stories of houses with a section closest to the door collapsed. _This must be the norm in these cities; old architecture and even older ruins._ Pyrrha thanked the guard and began to lead us straight down the path to wherever the Jarl is.

Not too far along the path, right about where the path begins to get steep, a man dressed quite oddly stopped us. He had a brown hood over his head and also a dark gray toga-esque fabric about his waist and left shoulder. Around his waist was a thick belt which matched the colors of the rest of the fabric on him. He had leather boots with a small sabaton on the middle of both feet.

"Excuse me, but do you know anything about this house? Seen anyone enter or leave?" He asked us, walking out from the shadows of the door.

"We just got here, so no." Pyrrha replied.

"Seems no one in this city has." He mumbled.

"Why?" Yang asked.

"I'm with the Vigil of Stendarr. We believe this house might have been used for Daedra worship. Evil rites and so forth." The Vigilant of Stendarr said.

"O-kay. Let's go, everyone." Weiss said, pushing Pyrrha and Ruby along the path.

"Thank you for your time." He said and stepped back into the shade of the doorway.

The house after the one with the Vigilant dude in front of it had a Shadow Mark on it. I stopped walking and pondered whether it would be worthwhile to loot the house. But while I stood still, Nora walked right into me.

"Why'd you stop, Blake?" Nora asked, rubbing her head where it hit me.

"No reason. Just looking at the architecture." I lied. Nora seemed unconvinced, but didn't press the topic.

Right next to the marked house were two sets of stairs. One went over the run-off channel and the other went to the right of it. Pyrrha and Ruby shrugged and split up. Naturally, we broke up into our teams. Once we reached the top of the stairs and the path following, we reached a wall. So we turned left and ended up back with Team JNPR at the door to Understone Keep.

It was very much like both of the Dwarven ruins but to the left was a large amount of rubble. Pyrrha left us and walked over to the guard, and when she said "Calcelmo" the guard pointed to the rubble without hesitating. And so, we journeyed through the tunnel. When we reached the other side, it was unlike anything that I had seen. It was a literal underground city. _So that's why they call it "Understone Keep"._ On the right were two men dressed like the mage in Whiterun.

"Calcelmo?" Pyrrha called out apprehensively.

"What are you doing here? The excavation site is closed. I don't need any more workers or guards." Calcelmo said, still facing away from us.

"Uh…" Pyrrha said, looking around.

"The Dragonborn told us to talk to you." Ruby stated.

"I told him I'm not hiring any more guards. Why do you people always bother me when I'm trying to finish my research?" Calcelmo said, slightly more aggravated.

"But we-" Ruby started to explain, but he cut her off.

"You idiots! Do you even know who I am? The most recognized scholar on the Dwemer in all of Tamriel, and you people keep bothering me!" Calcelmo yelled, turning to face us.

"Good. We need you to tell us the location of a Dwemer ruin." I said to him, pandering to his pride in the statement.

"Ah...I...I'm sorry for yelling, my work can be stressful at times, what can I help you with?" Calcelmo asked, slightly flabbergasted at my aversion to his yelling.

"We need to find a ruin in eastern Skyrim." Weiss told him, adding in her usual flair of snottiness. _Kill me._

"Well, you're going to have to be _much_ more specific than that." Calcelmo said, a slight hint of offense in his tone.

"It's near the Velothi Mountains." Weiss replied, adding _more_ snottiness. _You can't want to not be near her more._

"So, which one are you looking for? Mzulft? Kagrenzel? Rkund? Come on, spit it out!" Calcelmo said, whilst hastily flipping pages in his book.

"Uhh… The one with an Elder Scroll in it." Yang said, confused as to how to explain what we need.

"...I beg your pardon?" Calcelmo asked, dumbfounded.

"Some old dragon told us that it was there, but he couldn't find the exact location." Nora replied.

This merely caused his expression to grow even more shocked and confused, now paired with a total lack of a response.

"Why is your face all white and your mouth wide open? Did I say something wrong?" Nora asked, concerned.

"Y-You're looking for a set of r-ruins...with an E-Elder Scroll?" Calcelmo asked, barely getting the words out.

"Told to us by an old dragon. Keep up." Yang told him.

"I'm not sure how to tell you this… but there is no set of Dwarven Ruins located in, or near, the Velothi Mountains that is known to contain an Elder Scroll…" Calcelmo said.

"Do dragon's senses lie?" Nora asked, actually considering the question.

"Look, I'm sorry, but I have no notes on any explored or unexplored Dwarven ruin that could possibly contain an Elder Scroll." Calcelmo said, flipping through his book.

"If they're unexplored, how would you know what's in them?" Nora asked, yet again actually perplexed.

"Initial examinations can more or less predetermine what a ruin contains. When you've done this for as long as I have, you notice trends in Dwarven architecture. For example, mining cities tend to have a different style than library cities, and so on." Calcelmo said, still flipping through his book.

"Makes sense." Yang said "But you're certain that there aren't any other ruins in that area."

"Well...there's one that might have the slightest possibility...but there's no guarantee." Calcelmo said.

"Trust us, we're willing to take that chance." Jaune commented.

"Alright then…" Calcelmo said, flipping to the last few pages of his book before continuing. "From what we can tell, the city was once named 'Vzaldam', and was known to be a prime location for Dwemer scholars to flock to. Why they went there, we're still unsure, as no one has explored the ruins yet."

"Maybe that's because it had an Elder Scroll." Weiss said sarcastically, hiding herself so he wouldn't notice her.

"I doubt it, probably some form of Daedric artifact, they loved to tinker with those. Now then, Vzaldam was also supposedly a library city, though due to its current condition, it's hard to tell from the outside." Calcelmo said.

"Why wouldn't they put a scroll in a library city?" Nora asked.

"Well, the Dwarves tended to store their vast knowledge in Lexicons, as a means to better access it later. Another great library city, Avanchnzel, still once held vast quantities of unfathomable knowledge, and they didn't have an Elder Scroll." Calcelmo said.

"Nora did make a good point earlier. 'Do dragon's senses lie?'" Yang told him.

"I have no idea why some kids like yourselves would be talking to a dragon of all things, but if it mentioned ruins in the Velothi Mountains, then I'm not necessarily in a position to argue." Calcelmo said, his face practically pressed up against his notes now.

"Ah yes." Ruby said with a phony accent that none of us could place "reading is improved tenfold when your nose can smell the spine."

"Well, I guess there is no stopping you all from going to Vzaldam, however…" Calcelmo said, trailing off at the end.

"However…" I probed.

"My notes seem to neglect the location of the entrance…" Calcelmo said.

"They what?" Yang asked, quite angrily.

"Well, these notes were taken quite a long time ago. Not to mention the last team we sent out there didn't come back, and there hasn't been another expedition since." Calcelmo said, closing his notes.

"Well then, I guess we will be trailblazers." Pyrrha commented. Yang gave her a thumbs-up.

"Ah yes, trailblazers that will be setting foot in an expansive, unexplored Dwemer ruin that they may end up rewarding or killing all of you." Calcelmo said, delivering a mock smile.

Yang shrugged. "We've done more dangerous things."

"I sure hope so, because you'll be diving straight into the unknown. I envy you, you know? I remember the days when I could blindly traverse ruins, plenty of adventures to be had in those." Calcelmo said, stopping himself before he could rant.

"Why not relive those times and join us?" Nora asked.

"Oh, no. I'm far too old now, I'm sure that you'll be just fine by yourselves." Calcelmo said.

"Alright." Nora replied. "You'll be missing out, though."

"Now where did I leave...Aicantar!" Calcelmo yelled.

A moment later, a man, dressed the exact same as Calcelmo, ran up from the way we came, panting heavily.

"Y-Yes uncle?" Aicantar asked, panting.

"Go and retrieve Attelian's expedition notes from my quarters, and make it quick!" Calcelmo said.

"What do you think he's getting?" Ruby asked Pyrrha. Pyrrha shrugged.

Aicantar quickly ran back out of the room, and, within a few minutes, he came sprinting back to the room. Except this time, he was drenched in sweat.

"H-Here you are, U-Uncle." Aicantar said.

"Thank you my nephew, you're dismissed." Calcelmo said.

Aicantar practically dragged himself out of the room.

"Don't mind him, he can be a bit lazy at times." Calcelmo said.

"We're not in any rush." I told him.

"This is for you, you'll need this if you want any chance of finding the entrance. " Calcelmo said, handing the book to Pyrrha.

Pyrrha quickly flipped through it. "This is great, thank you so much."

"It's the least I can do, now then, you'll want to get going, Vzaldam is on the other side of Skyrim, you know." Calcelmo said, chuckling a bit at the end.

I groaned. "We just walked from the top of the Throat of the World. I don't want to keep walking everywhere." A few others nodded in agreement.

"You could always take a carriage." Calcelmo said, turning to face his alchemy lab.

"What carriage leaves from Ivarstead?" Yang asked, getting agitated that she walked all this extra distance.

"I'm saying you could the take the carriage from here to Riften, at least it would give you a head start." Calcelmo said.

"We're doing that." Yang said to Pyrrha.

"Sure, Yang. But you're paying for it." Pyrrha replied, smirking.

Most of us waved at Calcelmo and thanked him for his help. We walked back through the tunnel and out into Understone Keep. The guards nodded to us as we passed and went through the front door. The journey out of Markarth was the same as the one going in, except that in the back of my mind I was thinking, hoping, that this would be the last time I walk through the streets of Markarth.

We got on a carriage and Yang happily paid the carriage driver his 20 Septims. And so, all 8 of us piled onto the back of the carriage. The road to Riften was the same as the one we took from Ivarstead to Markarth. _Probably because Ivarstead is within Riften's borders._ Of all the carriage rides we took while we were stuck in this place, this one felt like the longest. It wouldn't have shocked me if the sun rose and set before we reached Ivarstead. At least, that's how the trip felt up until now. It was just idle conversation and some scenery gazing to pass the time between the idle conversations.

The carriage soon passed the turn to Falkreath, which clued me into the fact that we were a very long way from Riften, and even further from Vzaldam. I leaned back against the wooden backrest and tried to catch even a small amount of sleep, but through the bumping of the carriage and the half-hearted talking, sleep seemed many miles away.

I was jolted awake by a large bump in the road. I looked around and noticed that we were at the foot of the Throat of the World. As my surroundings panned out, I noticed that the sun was beneath the horizon and the moon had just started rising. I also noticed a man silhouetted against the rising moon, which Weiss called "Masser", walking along the same path. As we neared him, Ruby began talking to him.

"Hey, Dragonborn." Ruby said, leaning over the cart railings to talk to him.

The Dragonborn, caught slightly off guard by Ruby, moved to match the pace of the carriage to talk to her.

"Greetings, Ruby." He replied.

"Do you want to get on the carriage with us?" She asked.

"It would be my pleasure."

He then jogged over to the back and jumped on.

"Hello, everyone." He said, taking the open spot on the very back.

We all replied with various greetings. Ruby impersonated Penny by saying "Sal-u-tations!"

"I take it you met Calcelmo." The Dragonborn said.

"Yep. He gave us the general area of Vzaldam." Nora replied.

"General area? That's it?" The Dragonborn asked, incredulously.

"Sadly, he was unsure of the exact location of Vzaldam." Pyrrha commented.

"Really? But he's the most knowledgeable scholar on Dwemer ruins in all of Tamriel." The Dragonborn grew evermore confused.

"Yeah. He said that numerous research parties attempted to find it, but disappeared." Ruby explained.

"Sounds about right, I've learned first hand what those ruins are capable of. But he actually had nothing on this ruin you're looking for?" The Dragonborn asked.

"Nope." Yang commented.

"Where's this 'general area' he mentioned?" The Dragonborn asked.

"Where we told him it was located." Yang said angrily.

"So... the Velothi Mountains." The Dragonborn said.

"Yes." Jaune replied.

The Dragonborn heaved a heavy sigh.

"My apologies, I thought he would have more information than that." The Dragonborn said.

"It's ok. You didn't know. Thank you so much for helping us, regardless!" Ruby said happily.

The Dragonborn smiled at what Ruby said, but his face returned to its confused state shortly after.

"I'm still surprised that he gave you nothing. He keeps notes on every Dwarven ruin in existence, and he had nothing at all for you?" The Dragonborn asked.

"He gave us a book." I told him.

"A book? What's in it?" The Dragonborn asked.

"No clue, I never-" I was cut off.

"It's some of his expedition notes." Pyrrha said, looking over the book.

"Well, what do they say?" The Dragonborn asked, focusing more on the book than Pyrrha.

"It describes what they can seen from the entrance." Pyrrha summarized.

"Well that's some somewhat useful information. I suspected he'd at least give you something, does it give you any idea on where to start?" The Dragonborn said and asked.

"A little. I'm triangulating the area where you can see all of the landmarks they mention." Pyrrha said, writing on her map and reading the book in a back-and-forth motion.

"What landmarks are mentioned?" The Dragonborn asked.

"Riften, the Throat of the World and Fort Greenwall." Pyrrha replied, not looking up from the pages.

"That does narrow the searching area by quite a large amount, anything else?" The Dragonborn asked.

"Hmmm… They scaled a recently made trail near Fort Greenwall." Pyrrha said, squinting at the book.

"There we go, we have a starting area." The Dragonborn said, leaning back on the little railing he had to himself.

"That's good." Yang commented.

"I just hope we won't fall under Murphy's Law." I mumble.

"Well, I suppose my beloved can wait a little longer." The Dragonborn mumbled to himself.

Everyone turned to him.

"Your beloved what?" Ruby asked edgily.

"Did I say that out loud?" He asked.

"Yes…" Yang began.

"You did." Ruby finished.

"My wife, that's who I was referring to." The Dragonborn said.

"You have a wife?" Ruby asked, shocked.

"Indeed I do, not many know about her, seeing as how I moved her and my children to my house in Falkreath." The Dragonborn said.

"You have children?!" Ruby asked, even more shocked.

"More importantly, is your house the one by Lake Ilinalta?" Pyrrha asked.

"Aye, built it myself." The Dragonborn said, a sense of pride in his voice.

"Impressi-" Pyrrha was cut off by Ruby.

"Don't dodge the question!"

"Yes, I have children. A son and a daughter to be specific." The Dragonborn said.

"But you don't have a wedding ring. Nor do you have anything showing that you're married." Yang said, raising her head from where she hung it in thought.

The Dragonborn reached into a pouch on his side, and after some fiddling around, he pulled out a gold ring that faintly glowed blue.

"This is 'The Bond of Matrimony', a ring given to each partner in the marriage once the wedding ceremony is complete." The Dragonborn said.

"There it is." Yang commented.

The Dragonborn then put the ring back in his pouch, seemingly sticking it near the bottom.

"What's she like?" Ruby asked, now curious.

"She's a young aspiring merchant who I met in Whiterun, thanks to my enrollment in the Companions. She's smart, funny, and a very caring lover." The Dragonborn said, winking.

Ruby visibly grimaced at the last part. I blushed a little. No one else was listening to the conversation. _Thank Talos._ _Yang would've made that awkward…_

"Oh…" Ruby said quietly.

"I don't seem to understand what the issue is, but, regardless, she fell for me as soon as she laid eyes upon the Amulet of Mara I had been adorning that morning." The Dragonborn said.

"Moving on." I prompt. "What are your children like?"

"My son is a no good milk drinker, who cowers from every little thing. My daughter however, is showing the early signs of a strong adulthood, she'll grow to be a fine Nord woman." The Dragonborn said.

I felt slightly insulted that "milk drinker" is a negative thing, but I kept my mouth shut.

"But I love milk…" Ruby said, hurt overpowering her voice.

"I remember how one day I came home, and my daughter had brought a rabbit into the house. She begged me to let her keep it, and seeing as how my son managed to let his pet Mudcrab die, I let her. It's better to teach them responsibility when they're young, otherwise they'll still be asking you for help when all you want to do is let the tides of time take you away." The Dragonborn said, looking up towards the sky.

"You have quite the interesting family…" I comment. Ruby nods in agreement.

"Thank you. If this journey wasn't your last one here in Skyrim, I would've hoped to have introduced them to you." The Dragonborn said.

Ruby looked a little embarrassed, but nodded.

"I'm sure you understand why we want to get home." She said.

"I understand perfectly, you have lives to live back in your world. And I will see to it that you get there safely." The Dragonborn said.

"Thanks." Ruby smiled very widely at the Dragonborn. I nodded to show my appreciation.

"The pleasure is mine." The Dragonborn said, smiling back.

I leaned back against the railing and just enjoyed the cool air and the very starry sky. It only felt like a short moment before I drifted off to sleep.

* * *

 **Hey Guys! You doing good? So, things have been actually going pretty smoothly on our end, which is a surprise seeing how we normally do things. But, this means you should be getting the next chapter (hopefully) within the next month or so. This has been an incredible journey, and I hope you guys stick around through the end. So, as always, see you in the next chapter!**


	18. The Lost City

**Chapter 18: The Lost City**

 ** _Ruby's Perspective_**

I leapt off the back of the carriage and waited for everyone else to follow. The Dragonborn walked us through the gates, lead us to an inn over a channel that ran through the center of the city and then sat us at a table.

"So we need a plan of attack." He said straightforwardly.

"First comes understanding the area we are searching, so anything in that book that can assist us in finding that out please read." He continued.

"This is what is says;

' _Upon reaching this decently flat area, we can finally sit down and relax. Looking down from where we are, we can see Fort Greenwall down in the woods near the base of the mountain. The Throat of the World can be seen clearly from our position, and if there weren't mountains in our way, we'd be able to see Riften. Ildator says we need to help him clear the entrance, so I guess that's what we'll be doing for the next few hours.'_ "

"This is what I read on the carriage, but I felt that it was worth reiterating." She explained.

"Good, good." The Dragonborn sounded contemplative.

"When can I smash dwarven skulls?" Nora asked impatiently. The Dragonborn chuckled.

"You would make a wonderful Nord woman." He smiled at Nora.

"I can break their legs!" Nora said happily. Ren smirked.

"That would be great when we get to the ruin, but for now we need to plan." Blake chimed in.

"Next, we need to know where the trail is near." The Dragonborn prompted.

Pyrrha pulled out her map and then pointed to a fort.

"I triangulated the areas that the views could be seen from and found a trail that lead in that area coming from this fort." She explained.

"So our search begins here. Great!" Yang said happily.

"Alright. Anything else in that book that is worth mentioning?" The Dragonborn asked.

"There's this;

' _Sneaking past those bandits was a real problem. I thought the fort had been cleared by now. Upon reaching the base of the mountain, we noticed the remnants of an old path, but, it was heavily covered in snow and rocks. I'm beginning to doubt Calcelmo's information, however, Ildator was insistent we make our way up the mountain, so we began the effort of clearing the path and climbing the jagged slope.'_ "

"Well, that's not too weird." I said, causing everyone to look at me. "We already know it's in the mountains, so a mountain path isn't too weird."

"That's a good point." The Dragonborn replied, to which everyone else agreed.

Pyrrha looked slightly embarrassed.

"At least that information wasn't shocking." She said sheepishly.

"Not at all!" Jaune replied sarcastically.

Pyrrha glared at Jaune.

"I'm-sorry-please-don't-hurt-me!" He blurted out.

"What was that?" Pyrrha asked teasingly.

"I'm sorry, please don't hurt me." He repeated.

"That's better." She replied.

"He looks like a Nord, but most certainly doesn't act like one." The Dragonborn said to Yang.

"Tell me something I don't know." She replied.

"I can hear you guys!" Jaune complained.

"But what are you going to do about it?" The Dragonborn challenged.

"Nothing." Jaune squeaked.

"Anyways…" Pyrrha prompted us to move past picking apart Jaune.

"Does anyone want anything to drink? It's my treat." The Dragonborn said.

Jaune started to raise his hand, but Pyrrha grabbed it and guided it back down.

"You got drunk after two. You are not allowed to drink." She said sternly.

The Dragonborn looked at me. "Did he really?"

"Yes." I answered.

The Dragonborn simply shook his head.

"So, I will get two milks then." He said.

"Why two?" I asked.

"The second is for you." He replied.

"Why me?" I questioned.

"Because you're the last person I want to see drunk." The Dragonborn said.

"I am?" I asked.

"Of course, is that odd?" The Dragonborn asked.

"Maybe not." I replied. I was confused by why I was the one he didn't want to see drink. A small part of me said that it was because he cared, but I wasn't too sure.

"So, aside from the milk-drinker, does anyone else want anything?" The Dragonborn asked.

Yang raised her hand.

"Ok. Anyone else?" He repeated. No one else responded.

"I will get those drinks and be right back." He then walked over to to the innkeeper and began speaking with her.

"Here's yours." The Dragonborn said, handing Yang her mead. "And _yours_." The Dragonborn said distastefully as he handed Jaune his milk. "Yours." He said as he handed me mine with a smile.

"Thank you!" Yang and I said in unison.

"Thanks." Jaune mumbled.

"Jaune! Where are your manners?" Pyrrha asked angrily.

"Thank you, Mr. Dragonborn." Jaune said loudly.

The Dragonborn simply gave Jaune a cold stare in response.

"Sorry." Jaune said meekly, protecting his face with his hands from a hit that never came.

"Learn to handle your mead, until then, you have no right to touch any." The Dragonborn said, coldly. _I guess Nords take their mead pretty seriously._

"Yes sir." Jaune depressively replied.

"Now then, we need to begin planning the journey to Vzaldam. Are all of you properly equipped?" The Dragonborn said and asked.

We all conversed about our current armor loadout and any weapons we had, and in which situations to use them. The Dragonborn, however, decided to ask a few questions of his own.

"With the exception of Blake and Weiss, since they're wearing their respective guilds armors, are you completely positive that your outworld outfits will be durable enough to withstand the Dwarven automatons?" The Dragonborn asked.

"They have survived them twice." I replied, waving my cape in the air.

"Judging by those patches" The Dragonborn paused to point at the patches on my outfit "they didn't do all that well in actually stopping them."

I stuck my tongue out at him jokingly.

"They were mostly from your sword." Yang replied, taking a sip of mead.

"If your clothes can't stop my blade, they won't be able to do anything against Dwemer forged blades." The Dragonborn said, also drinking from his mead.

"Well, mine are made for my fighting style." I explained.

"If those are the clothes you wear to battle, I can only imagine how easy to take down the enemies of your world are." The Dragonborn said.

"I meant that I am a rogue class warrior." I explained further.

"Well, what about the new arrivals? How does their armor fare?" The Dragonborn asked.

"Mine's bronze." Pyrrha explained, pointing to her shield and breastplate.

"Mine's iron." Jaune indicated what was iron by tapping his shield and breastplate.

"I have a hammer!" Nora said proudly. Ren nodded.

"What about potions?" The Dragonborn asked.

I poured out my pack full of health and stamina potions. The table was covered with potions before we reached the third person.

"And Weiss, how much magic do you actually know?" The Dragonborn asked.

"I completed the Alteration and Restoration courses at Winterhold and I dabbled in Destruction and Conjuration." She replied in her usual snobby way.

"And Pyrrha, do you have the final search location marked?" The Dragonborn asked.

"I do." She replied, pointing to a marked location on her map.

"Then we have everything we need, let us head out." The Dragonborn said, standing up.

We began hiking around the lake that Riften resided on. The early morning sun bounced off the rippling water of the lake, giving a sheen to the top of the water. The cool autumn breeze blew through the trees, causing a gentle whooshing noise to fall over the scene. _I think there was something funny in that milk; I'm thinking weird._

We continued walking along the lake and I just let the calm surroundings soothe my nerves. I was preparing for battle; I was preparing to leave this world. _But not by dying_. It was by breaking this plane of reality and forcing our way back to ours. _That sounds pretty weird. Like something out of a Sci-fi novel._

To the north we walked. At least it wasn't an eastward walk or else we'd be blinded by the bright sun. _You'd think that the northern lands would have less sun…_

Pyrrha stopped abruptly.

"We are near the area that the trail is." She announced. "Split up and search."

"I'll go ask the Stormcloaks at Fort Greenwall if they know anything about this path." The Dragonborn said.

Pyrrha stood with her mouth hung open for a second. "Th-That's a good idea." She had the face of " _I wish_ _ **I**_ _had thought of that!_ "

"Had none of you thought of that?" The Dragonborn asked.

"...No." Pyrrha admitted. I shrugged and a few other people looked like they weren't thinking about the path at all.

"After spending all this time in Skyrim, I hoped that you would've at least learned to ask other people for assistance. Especially if they may know something you need to know." The Dragonborn said, a hint of disappointment present in his tone.

"Where we're from we kind of have to do things on our own without the help of anyone besides our team members. So, we just have the mentality stuck in our heads." Pyrrha replied.

"And what a truly disappointing mentality that is." The Dragonborn said.

"We've gotten this far on it haven't we?" Pyrrha asked angrily.

"Hey, calm down. The Dragonborn's right. To a point." Yang admitted.

"At least those who've experienced these lands somewhat agree with me." The Dragonborn said, nodding to Yang.

"Fine. We should've asked for help more often." Pyrrha admitted, to stop the inevitable argument.

"Now then, I'm off to the fort. Those who wish to accompany me can, those who don't should start searching for the path." The Dragonborn said.

After a brief moment of silence and hushed conversations, I decided to speak up.

"I'll go." I offer.

Everyone else decided to assist Pyrrha.

"Suit yourselves. Don't come crying back when a bear or troll starts mauling you." The Dragonborn said, starting to continue towards the fort. I quickly followed after him.

"Are there really trolls in the forests here?" I ask as we walk to the fort.

"Oh yes, there are." The Dragonborn said, casting his gaze to the forest on our right.

"So that wasn't a joke to scare them?" I asked.

"Do I look like the joking type to you?" The Dragonborn asked.

I laugh. "No. You don't."

"So, you're just going to walk in and ask them about a path?" I asked him.

"Yes, since it's in the area, I assume they would have information on it gathered by their scouts." The Dragonborn said.

"Makes sense. But how are we going to explain the path we are going to take?" I questioned him, drawing a questioning glance.

"Simple, we'll explain our predicament, and they should be willing to assist." The Dragonborn said, meeting my confused face with a " _It's so obvious"_ expression.

"Whatever you say. But you're doing the talking." I compromised.

"I thought that was a given." The Dragonborn said.

 _Thank Talos. He wouldn't have made me talk!_

"Not much of a talker, are you?" The Dragonborn asked, taking note of my expression.

"I don't need to talk to people, _I_ _drink milk_." I comment.

The Dragonborn's face visibly twitched when he heard me say that, but he forced it back to its usual look.

"Are you disappointed by the fact that I drink milk?" I asked him as we neared the Stormcloak banner covered fort.

"Force of habit, my apologies." The Dragonborn said.

"It's alright." I reply.

I looked at the fort. It was fairly run-of-the-mill; it had wood stakes in front of it and large walls. However, the large Stormcloak banners and the collapsed tower made it look less common than I had assumed. But with the many collapsed and old things in this world, it wasn't too out of place. A single tree stuck out of the center of the fort. It didn't seem to be sacred, just that it grew in the fort. As we entered the fort, I noticed that the road didn't end when it reached the entrance; it just ran right through the center of it. _Well… that's… unique._ _I guess it isn't as run-of-the-mill as I expected it to be_.

Two guards walked over and saluted the Dragonborn.

"Stormblade, it's an honor." The Guard on the left said.

"No need for honor-names here, I'm here to request some information." The Dragonborn said.

"Ah, of course. We believe that we've located the Imperial cam-" The Dragonborn cut the Guard on the left off.

"Not that kind of information, not yet at least. For now, I need to know where I can find the information your scouts bring back from their patrols." The Dragonborn said.

"Speak with the Fort Commander, he should have it stored in his quarters." The Guard on the right said.

"Thank you. As you were, men." The Dragonborn said.

The two guards saluted him again and walked back to their posts.

As we walked over to the Fort Commander, I had a question burning for me to ask the Dragonborn.

"So… Where'd you get the 'honor name' 'Stormblade'?" I asked him curiously.

"Ulfric awarded it to me after the Siege of Fort Snowhawk, which preceded the Siege of Solitude." The Dragonborn said, pride present in his voice.

"Well…" I was unsure how to respond, "Good job for not getting killed…?" I said uncertainly.

"I believe it has more to do with the number of Imperials I killed, but thank you." The Dragonborn said.

"If you died, we wouldn't have had a chance to get home, so I'm very grateful that you didn't die." I commented.

"And I'm grateful that you put so much faith in me." The Dragonborn said. _Well, at least he didn't respond strangely…_

We took a left, following the lead of one of the two guards, before heading up a set of wooden stairs. And after carefully maneuvering around one of the stone supports, which the platform was next to, we climbed another set of stairs before reaching the ramparts. We then took a right and crossed a very... _shifty_ looking wooden bridge, after which was a set of stone stairs. _The Nords sure like their stairs…_ After another quick right, we stood before a door which, I assume, lead to the Commander's Quarters. The Dragonborn, not giving it a second thought, pushed the door open and went inside.

Upon entering the dimly lit room, I immediately noticed the Stormcloak banners that adorned the walls. Accompanied by the scattered set of antlers or mounted animal head, nothing seemed like it screamed _Commander's Quarters_ to me. We took a right down the hallway, past a couple of bookshelves and a dresser, and reached a large room with a fireplace, a ladder leading to a trapdoor on the ceiling, and a table, where an average looking Stormcloak was sitting. The Dragonborn approached him without even thinking, and the soldier turned in his chair to face him.

"Greetings, Stormblade. What brings you here today?" The Commander asked.

"I seek some possible scouting records of the nearby mountains, would you happen to have any here?" The Dragonborn asked.

"Give me a moment, I'll go and check." The Commander said, getting out of his chair and entering his quarters to the right.

After a few minutes, he came back with a rather hefty looking logbook.

"Let's see here...what exactly are you looking for?" The Commander asked.

"Signs or remnants of a path that leads into the mountains, have your scouts seen anything of the sort?" The Dragonborn asked

"Hmm...they did report something of the sort to the southeast, but they marked it as an avalanche and kept going. Maybe that's what you're after?" The Commander explained.

"Is there anything else?" The Dragonborn asked.

"Nothing that isn't already on a map." The Commander said.

"I see, thank you for the information." The Dragonborn said.

As we were leaving, the Commander called back "Anything for you, Stormblade."

"I think you did more than kill a few Imperials for you to have earned this much respect…" I mumble.

"Well, I did slay Alduin…" The Dragonborn replied.

"I know. I watched as you did it." I replied.

"I don't recall taking you with me to Sovngarde." The Dragonborn said, jokingly.

"I thought you said you didn't die!" I replied, jokingly.

"I may have visited the realm of the dead, but I assure you, I wasn't the one destined to remain there." The Dragonborn said, chuckling a little.

"Could a being that stopped men from reaching Sovngarde stay there after he died?" I asked curiously.

"If you weren't preparing to leave this world, I would explain to you how the gods ripped his weakened soul from his body as he fell, taking it for their own. But, I think it's just easier to say I killed him." The Dragonborn said.

"Uh… Okay." I was more confused from the answer than the thing that made me ask the question…

"The point is, I helped liberate Skyrim, and I saved Nirn from the World-Eater. So I tend to get a lot of respect in my travels." The Dragonborn said.

"Makes sense." I reply.

We finally caught back up with the group and found everyone to be in good shape… except Jaune. He had his clothes torn with cuts and scrapes all over him.

"What happened boy? Troll sneak up on you?" The Dragonborn asked, his head raised high.

"No…" Jaune said dejectedly, "I tripped over a root."

The Dragonborn heaved the heaviest sigh I have ever heard as he mumbled to himself "The damn boy can't even drink milk properly…"

I started giggling uncontrollably, drawing weird looks from everyone else.

"What are you laughing at, Ruby?" Yang asked.

"Did you not hear Stormblade?" I said the Dragonborn's honor name jokingly.

"Only my Shield-Siblings get to call me that." The Dragonborn said.

"Oh…" I started to feel my face heat up, "I-I-I was m-making a joke." I stammered out.

He raised his hand, and I retreated behind my hood instinctively. But, instead of a punishing slap, his hand landed softly on my head.

"Technically, you are my Shield-Sister, thanks to the Companions." The Dragonborn said, grinning.

I laughed. "Oh right. I am."

I faintly heard Pyrrha whisper to Yang.

"Was he like this when you were in the Companions together?"

"No. He showed up for two quests and never showed up again unless he wanted to take food from the hall."

Pyrrha had a strange look on her face, but quickly pulled it back to neutral and rejoined the conversation.

"What's with that look? Something on your mind?" The Dragonborn asked.

"Nothing. I was just thinking." Pyrrha replied.

The Dragonborn gave her a quizzical stare "Sure, nothing. Enhance your speechcraft before trying to tell such an obvious lie."

"You could get a blessing of Dibella or an Amulet of Dibella." Weiss commented, spouting information she picked up at college.

"Exactly." The Dragonborn said, nodding to Weiss.

"Alright. I was asking Yang if you acted this way when you were in the Companions together." Pyrrha admitted.

"Acted what way?" The Dragonborn asked.

"Like Shield-Siblings." Pyrrha explained.

"Of course, for it's the way of the Companions. Everyone is family there." The Dragonborn said.

"Okay. Makes sense." Pyrrha replied.

"Now then, are we going to stand around here all day, or are we going to get to that path?" The Dragonborn asked, more so addressing the group than Pyrrha.

"Let's get moving!" I shouted, throwing my fist up in the air and striking a pose.

"But… we haven't found a path…" Jaune said.

"Let's look some more!" Nora shouted enthusiastically.

"Well, maybe if you had decided to tag along with Ruby and I, you would've found the location of the path." The Dragonborn said.

"Oh yeah they haven't seen the scouting reports." I realized.

"There was a record of a possible path located southeast of here. Not too far away from where we are now if I recall." The Dragonborn said.

"So my calculations weren't wrong!" Pyrrha mumbled.

"What was that, Pyrrha?" Jaune asked.

"Oh nothing! Nothing at all!" She said, fairly loudly and stiffly.

"If you say so." Blake commented.

"So, you're all ready to begin the journey back to your world?" The Dragonborn asked.

"YEAH!" Everyone replied in unison, some pumping fists into the air.

"Very well. May we reach our goal, or Sovngarde take us!" The Dragonborn yelled.

"Yeah?" A few replied from confusion.

"For Talos!" I shouted.

"For Talos!" The Dragonborn shouted.

"I think Ruby's gone native…" Yang whispered to Blake.

"Let's get going then, I'll lead the way." The Dragonborn said, taking point.

The Dragonborn lead us southwest in search of finding the path. Every few feet, he'd stop and nod down twice and then look around and continue walking. I was confused, but then again I have seen him using one sword and then when he unsheathes it a minute later, it's a completely different sword. Same thing with armor, although he mostly just uses this armor. _Well, I'm sure that I'm just reading too far into it._

We reached a place that the scout notes had mentioned, and it did appear to be just an avalanche.

"What are we doing here? This is just an avalanche." Weiss questioned the Dragonborn.

"This, Weiss, is the path to Vzaldam and the path for you to get home." He explained coldly.

Weiss looked partially shocked and also hard pressed for words to retort with.

"Still an avalanche." She said semi-quietly, defeat hanging over her voice like the mountains to our east.

"No other complaints? Then we go up." The Dragonborn commanded.

Up we quietly treked on half-frozen snow and dirt. Up we climbed with our feet falling through the ground with every other step. But this was our way home, so we have to take whatever trail we can to get to Vzaldam. Weiss was livid, both from looking dumb in front of everyone and because her white boots were now speckled with mud and dirty snow. _Guess the Ice Queen can't take dirty snow; she only likes the richest snow_. Woah. I need some sleep. That thought was too malicious to be made by me.

The farther we walked, the more I could see my breath. Its calm white puffs billowing out in front of me and the gentle breeze carrying the puffs behind me. But I could also see the breaths of everyone around me billowing around their faces and being caught by the breeze. The midday's sun gentle flickered on the snowflakes along the path along with causing a small circular shadow to form around me. _Must be from my combat skirt._

As we walked, my circular shadow elongated to form a shadow of all of me and not just my skirt. _Shouldn't we be getting close to Vzaldam by now?_

"How far away are we from Vzaldam?" Pyrrha asked the Dragonborn.

"The trail ends soon, so soon. Hopefully." He replied.

A gentle snowstorm picked up not long after we were within sight of the peak of the mountain path, snowflakes serenely floating on the cold breeze, with my breath and the snowflakes floating past my face. In Remnant, this would be cause for much joy and many, _many_ cups of hot cocoa, but not here. Not in Skyrim. Not in Nirn. Not in the Velothi. My heart ached from the memory of the good days. I could feel the drink warm me up from the inside out, then the icy breeze picked up and I was chilled to the bone again. _How much further? We've been walking for hours…_

 _ **Thank Talos we finally reached the peak!**_

"Don't stop here. We're not even close to the ruins." The Dragonborn warned, causing all of us to groan. "Let's go everyone." He waved us forward.

I was _so_ hoping that we were done walking when we reached the peak…

The path dipped down and the walk was entirely downhill. _Thank Talos._ And the snow was more packed, so our feet didn't sink in with every step. _**Thank Talos**_ **.** The Dragonborn looked back to check on us.

"Oh right." He realized. "None of you have Nord blood."

"What do you mean? It's clear that we don't." Yang replied, slightly angry and shivering.

"I mean that you aren't resistant to cold." He stated. "I can't fix it, but I can try."

He looked to the sky and took a deep breath. " _ **Lok… Vah Koor!**_ " Instantly, the snow began to stop and the breeze calmed. "I was hoping that'd it warm up more, but no wind or snow is better." He mumbled to himself.

We walked for a few more minutes, no longer dreading the cold breeze that beared down on us. Then the Dragonborn stopped in his tracks. He nodded his head down twice and then turned to face us.

"We've reached the end of the path." He stated.

"So Vzaldam is close?" Weiss asked, hope ringing in her voice.

"Yes, Weiss." The Dragonborn replied, with something that sounded like reciprocated happiness.

"I can go home!" I said happily.

"You can." The Dragonborn smiled, but also seemed slightly sad.

"So, follow me to Vzaldam." The Dragonborn said. He did a full 360 and then stopped in one direction and began walking towards it. _This is another one of the weird things he does…_ He was probably just looking around to see if he could spot a cave, nothing more. _Or am I glossing over something ground-shakingly important about him in the name of preserving my ideas of normality?_ I need sleep. Desperately.

Through the white haze set on by the snow, I could see something that didn't look organic begin to appear. It was like a crevasse that was ripped open. It was a massive pile of rock that looked like a ragged gash from a dull knife that was given by the Nine Divines. The Dragonborn dauntlessly climbed over the first rock and into a very slim opening. _Is all that muscle on him going to fit?_ To my surprise, he slipped right in.

"Who's next?" He called up through the opening.

"I-I'll go." I replied, wanting to not stand in the cold for any longer than I had to. I shakily made my way over the first rock and into the opening.  
"Don't worry about falling, I'll catch you if you do." The Dragonborn said to me.

"I'm wearing a skirt, so don't look." I replied, dropping through the opening. I slammed into something semi-soft and semi-hard.

"See? I told you that I'd catch you." He said, smiling at me. He had caught me in the position that women are carried in on their wedding day.

"I hope you didn't look. Or else." I said, mock anger covering my joke.

"Of course not." He replied sarcastically, while smiling.

I didn't know how to respond.

"You can put me down now." I commanded.

"No, I was just going to hold you here and let everyone else hit the ground." The Dragonborn said, sarcastically.

"Fine by me." I replied jokingly.

"Suit yourself, but I'm not letting anyone end up with a mouthful of dirt." The Dragonborn said.

"What do you mean by-" I was cut off by the Dragonborn putting me on his back in a piggy-back fashion.

"So, this just happened." I commented. "Where'd you even learn this from?"

"Nora and Ren." He replied. I silently cursed Nora and Ren. Just as I cursed her, Nora fell from the sky. She landed on her feet without the Dragonborn's help.

"Nora!" She shouted.

"How did you land without hurting yourself?" The Dragonborn asked.

"It wasn't too far of a fall." Nora replied, confused by the Dragonborn's curiosity.

"Nora! Catch!" Ren shouted. Nora caught Ren as he fell.

"You can let go now." Ren said.

Nora looked at me and the Dragonborn and I saw gears turn. _Oh no._

"Nora no…" I said.

"Nora _yes._ " She replied. She put Ren on her back in the piggy-back fashion.

"Nora?!" Ren shouted out of confusion.

"Yes, Ren?" She asked as if nothing was wrong.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Nothing." She replied.

" _What do you mean noth-_ " He was cut off by Yang landing on him.

"Heyoooo~" Yang said from on top of Nora and Ren.

"Could you get off?" Ren wheezed. Yang threw herself onto her feet.

"My bad guys." She said with a smile. I patted the Dragonborn's chest.

"Hmm?"

"You didn't catch her." I said.

"Uh. Well. She didn't give any warning." He explained.

"I'm coming down!" Pyrrha called. I squeezed my legs around the Dragonborn's waist.

"Don't let anyone fall on Ren and Nora this time." I said. He nodded. Then he caught Pyrrha before she hit the ground and put her on her feet.

"Why are you two laying on the floor?" Pyrrha asked Ren and Nora.

"Yang fell on Ren." Nora replied.

"So why are you on the floor too?" Pyrrha asked.

"Ren was on my back."

"What?" Pyrrha replied. Before Nora could answer, Jaune called out from above.

"I'm coming down." Jaune fell through the crack and, unlike for Pyrrha, the Dragonborn just watched him fall to the ground.

"Ow! Wh-Why didn't you catch me?" Jaune asked sadly, rubbing his behind.

"True Nords don't need help with a fall as small as that." The Dragonborn said, coldly.

"But I'm not even a Nord!" Jaune protested.

"And that's painfully obvious." The Dragonborn replied.

Jaune mumbled something under his breath.

"Jaune! Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?" Pyrrha asked angrily.

"Oh, so he's a momma's boy. That explains everything." The Dragonborn commented.

Weiss and Blake fell in and were caught by the Dragonborn, much to the displeasure of Jaune. We were all glad to be out of the icy cold wind, besides the Dragonborn, who walked around in it without sleeves. _He is either super tough, super insane or both._

The path was at a descending angle, just as the one at Alftand did, but the turns in this were not as intense. After only a few minutes, we were walking on cobbled paths with collapsed statues lining the walls. Some of them were still partially standing while others were completely crumbled and toppled over. The cobbled path was made of the same stone that made up the streets of Blackreach, which brought up some _unpleasant_ memories. At the paths end was a sight that caused us to stop in our tracks and stare in awe, much like we did back in Remnant.

* * *

 **/AN: Hey guys! Sorry for the delay, a lot of stuff has been happening on our end recently, but now I have some good news for you guys. We're completely done on our end! So, you're probably wondering what that entails. Well, lets just say that you'll be getting updates MUCH more frequently, as in once a week for a couple of weeks. After that, our adventure is over! Well, maybe. We'll have more time to discuss that once the final chapter is out. For now, this is the last authors' note until then, so happy reading, and I'll see you guys again in a couple of weeks!**


	19. The Faith-Driven Descent

**Chapter 19: The Faith-Driven Descent**

 ** _Weiss's Perspective_**

Two towers shot up from the ground and reached to the ceiling, a grand archway forming between them. The archway had a grate above and below it, each one covering the gears and machinery behind it. The door was incredibly ornate, similar the well carved doors we passed by in Markarth. On both sides of the door were two full sized statues of Dwarven Centurions, which were angled to face the path, and possibly face any who walk on it. The most curious part about it though, was the pedestal that stood a small distance, no more than a yard or two, from the door. It reached about chest height, and had a plaque at its base with some weird language written on it.

"Is this Dwarven?" Nora asked, leaning towards the plaque.

"Most likely." I replied, scrutinizing the plaque.

"But can you translate it?"

"No. I can only recognize the text." I admitted.

"Allow me to take a look." The Dragonborn said, walking up to the plaque. I held my breath in anticipation of seeing him translate it. "The text is definitely Dwarven, but it is too faded to make out." I sighed in depression. He then poked the plaque. "It is done. Now I know what it says."

"You what?" I asked shocked and sort of angry.

"It says 'The door that-' it trails off, 'the seal which must be-' it trails off again, 'Thanks for coming to Vzaldam, your patronage is appreciated.'" He recited, the last part seeming more like sarcasm.

"That had every. Single. Thing. We needed. Except. Directions." Pyrrha said slowly and angrily.

"Welcome to my world. I wander around caves for many an hour to find what I need. Unless I have a quest in there, then I have a little thing that directs me." The Dragonborn stated.

 _So he uses Clairvoyance?_

"On my map." He specifies.

 _Oh._

"So because this isn't a quest, you don't have any directions, right?" Yang asked.

"That is correct." He replied.

"Fabulous." Yang said sarcastically.

"Alright, everybody take a look around. There has to be something around here that will help us get inside." The Dragonborn said.

I stayed near the Dragonborn to see if he would pull the same trick of touching a plaque to translate it again. It didn't seem like long before he did something like it again. He stopped in a room and looked right and looked right again. He then had a different scabbard at his side. _I'm going to bring it up._

"Hey Dragonbor-" I was cut off.

"Everyone come here!" Nora shouted.

I jogged over to the place that Nora was and found an abandoned campsite.

"What's this?" Ruby asked.

"Clearly it's an abandoned campsite." I said, shocked by her stupidity. _Sometimes she doesn't know the difference between destruction and restoration magic._ I snorted at the thought.

"No. _This_." Ruby said, picking up a bloodied book. _Oh. She's still a dolt though._

The others appeared to have not listened to the conversation Ruby and I had.

"This blood looks like it's years old." Yang commented, poking a bedroll with her foot.

"Yes. It seems we have stumbled upon something important. If only there were some way to know who these people were." The Dragonborn said, crouching next to a bedroll drenched in blood.

I glanced at Ruby and nodded towards the Dragonborn. She looked apprehensive, but slowly took out the journal from her pack.

"H-Hey Dragonborn." Ruby stuttered.

"Yes, Ruby?" The Dragonborn asked.

"I f-found this lying around." Ruby handed the Dragonborn the journal with a slightly shaky hand.

"Ah, now this should provide some answers." The Dragonborn said, taking the journal.

"The first entry says this:

 _Day 2_

 _We've managed to expand the tunnel to allow us to get to the actual entrance of the ruin, and the sight before my eyes is unlike any previous ruin I've ever seen. Two towers shoot up into the ceiling, a grand archway between them. Partially collapsed statues of Dwarven spheres adorn the path to the door. The door itself is one of the ornately carved ones that normally aren't seen this close to the surface. The most interesting thing here, however, is the pedestal which stands a few feet before the door. None of us have been able to figure out what it is or does, mainly because we're too afraid to. At the top of the pedestal is a outline of a hand, and on the base there's a Dwemer inscription that none of us can make sense of. I sent Attelian back to Markarth to see if Calcelmo knows anything about any of this._ " The Dragonborn quoted.

"There's the pedestal." Pyrrha pointed to the pedestal after the Dragonborn read the journal. "Now what?"

"Let's see if there's more in the next bit." Ren replied.

"Alright then, continuing on:

 _Day 5_

 _Attelian still isn't back yet, and we're starting to become concerned. Worst case, the bandits in the fort below killed him, or the Forsworn killed him on his way to or from Markarth. To make matters worse, our supplies are beginning to run short. Cosrimil wants us to descend and give up, but I will not falter after everything we did to get here in the first place._ " The Dragonborn quoted.

"That didn't explain much about the pedestal." Pyrrha commented. We all nodded in agreement.

"Plus, why did you skip three days?" Nora asked.

"That was the entry after the one I previously read." The Dragonborn said, double checking the pages.

"They only took a single week's worth of food? They must be new to adventuring." Yang mumbled.

"They probably didn't expect...whatever the pedestal is." The Dragonborn said.

"Still." Ruby said.

"Getting off of that, this is the next entry:

 _Day 8_

 _I shouldn't have done it. They warned me not to but curiosity got the better of me. I stuck my hand on the pedestal, and needles shot into my hand to draw blood. It all happened instantaneously, the pedestal didn't see my blood as the key, and before I knew it, the ground was shaking and a horde of Dwarven Spiders was after the three of us. If it weren't for our experience, we'd be dead._ " The Dragonborn quoted.

"Finally!" Pyrrha shouted. "Information about the pedestal."

"Who doesn't take at least two weeks worth of food on an expedition?" Yang continued.

"Yang. We get it." I said exasperatedly. _Sometimes Yang is more annoying than Ruby._

"Just keep reading, Dragonborn… please." Jaune said timidly.

"Very well, the next entry is as follows:

 _Day 12_

 _Cosrimil and Selihus have resorted to hunting in the nearby woods for food, whilst I sit here and wait for any sign of Attelian. They keep telling me to give up, to call it off, they won't think any less of me if I do. But they don't see it, the visions. That pedestal implanted something in my mind that only comes to me in sleep. The door won't open for the simple-minded, only those of the highest intellect can break the seal. I've tried to tell the others, but they won't listen. They think I've gone mad, but, I'm not mad, am I? No. This ruin will not break me, I've dealt with far worse._ " The Dragonborn quoted.

"Guess we aren't putting the dumbest person on pedestal duty." Blake said.

"Weiss is out then." Yang shot back at me.

" _Wait just a min-_ " I was cut off by the Dragonborn.

"Calm yourself." He said.

"Now then, there are still a few more pages:

 _Day 15_

 _I heard Cosrimil and Selihus talking last night, saying how they're going to leave me for dead here. Just when I figured out how to get the door open, they want to leave. Maybe if I bring Calcelmo back here, his blood could open the door. Then I can show them how wrong they are._ " The Dragonborn quoted.

"Would Calcelmo work?" Ruby pondered.

"Obviously only I will." I commented.

"Weiss, we've already established that you're the only one who won't." Blake replied.

"There's one final entry, so I will address it as such:

 _Final Entry_

 _They're after me...saying it's for my own good...the door...must be-_ " The Dragonborn paused briefly before continuing, "After that, the ink is strewn across the page and blood is covering the bottom right portion of it."

"Lovely." Ruby commented. "Glad I was the one that found it."

"You don't have very good luck in this world, do you?" Pyrrha asked honestly.

"I don't think any of us have." Blake said, pushing her money pouch out of sight.

"You know, for a sneak thief, you're not all that sneaky." The Dragonborn said.

"Wh-What are you talking about?" Blake said, her money pouch completely gone and any Thieves Guild armor disappeared from her body. "I a-am not a 'sneak thief'."

"You may be able to hide your secret from them, but I witnessed you first hand. So you can't put it past me." The Dragonborn said, giving her a cold stare.

Blake's face was bright red. She started babbling. "I-I-I… Y-You don't…"

"Just stop while you're ahead." The Dragonborn said, putting his face in his hand.

"'Sneak thief'? Is that the Thieves Guild that your team said that you were a part of?" Pyrrha asked.

" _You guys sold me out?_ " Blake asked angrily.

"Well 'sold out' implies that money exchanged hands and… well… we're poor." Yang explained.

"Very funny." Blake said in monotone, looking angry.

"Can you all please focus back on the task at hand." The Dragonborn said, annoyed.

"The Dragonborn is right!" Yang quickly agreed.

"Indeed. Now then, how should we determine who attempts to open the door?" The Dragonborn asked.

"By whoever is the smartest." Blake commented.

"Me-" I was cut off.

"Me-" Yang was cut off.

"Me-" The Dragonborn was cut off.

"Really, Dragonborn? Even you?" Ruby asked.

"I was joking." The Dragonborn said in his usual monotone.

"REN!" Nora shouted.

"What?" Ren asked.

"Hand. Pedestal. Now." Nora said.

"Why?" He asked, bewildered.

"You're smart." Nora explained.

"Fine. I'll try." He said. I looked at everyone and saw they were in agreement with Nora.

Ren hesitantly walked up to the pedestal. His hand shook so much, he had to grab it with the other to put it down on the needles. I knew it wasn't because he was scared of needles, he was scared of going crazy like the last man that put his hand on the pedestal. He slowly put his hand down into the hand outline. He seemed relieved that he didn't feel pain. Then the needles appeared. I have never heard a more girly scream. They appeared to only stay in his hand for a moment before retreating back into the pedestal. As soon as the needles were gone, the machinery behind the grates began to spur to life. Gears began turning, steam started blowing, and the ground began to shake, causing loose rocks and dust to fall from the ceiling. Before long, the shaking stopped, and the pedestal slowly retracted into its base. The gears then stopped turning, the steam blew its last gust, and the door creaked open. To my disappointment, another door sat at the end of the now revealed hallway.

"How anti-climactic." Pyrrha commented. Ren stared at his hand like he suddenly had six fingers. Then he glanced at the door. Then back to his hand.

"That wasn't anti-climactic to me." He said, staring at his bloody hand.

"You did great, Ren!" Nora said loudly, slamming his back with her hand.

"Ow." He said quietly.

"Come on, now. It was merely a quick poke to the hand, no need to look so pale." The Dragonborn said.

"I'm-" Ren was cut off.

"Ren's not pale! Right, Ren?" Nora asked proudly. Ren nodded.

"Regardless of who's looking like a night-spawn right now, the pathway has opened, I suggest we follow it." The Dragonborn said, gesturing towards the now open doorway.

"You're right." Pyrrha agreed.

"This part isn't in the journal, so we have no way of knowing whether or not this will be a trap or not." Blake warned.

"Noted." The Dragonborn replied, walking into the doorway.

After he had walked past the threshold of the doorway, he moved left out of sight and screamed. We froze for a moment, but before anyone else could react, Ruby ran over, followed by everyone else. When we saw the Dragonborn, he was perfectly fine and, though he was as straight-faced as usual, his eyes were alight with laughter.

"You all are so gullible." He said, still in his unchanged monotone.

"If you're going to prank us, at least laugh." Ruby scolded.

"Ha ha ha." The Dragonborn said without any emotion. "Happy?"

"Sure. Let's keep going then." Ruby said. "You first."

"All right." He replied.

 _ **Vzaldam Grand Hallway**_

The hallway we walked into was much like the one that brought us here; pipes sat on the walls and had water dripping from them. The only difference was the lack of vines and the lack of us being in Remnant.

A large chandelier of a dark, rusty metal hung high over the entrance. The light that it would've given off, would've made the room look industrial and sharp. But now the ring sat quietly upon its tether to the ceiling; a sad reminder of the lost civilization that called this place home. A faint layer of dust covered everything. The Dragonborn's heavy footfalls kicked up small tufts of dust that lingered for a moment before falling back to the ground in their melancholy state.

Rusted statues of the Brass God and other Dwarven creations looked upon us sadly as we walked by, their time of being cared for by an intelligent race fading from memory. The rust that clung to them was not uniform, but in splotches according to the drips from the vents that no longer carried the things it once carried. Unlike Alftand, this ruin was completely silent. No machinery turned, no spiders tinkered with the cogs, no steam poured from the walls, it was void of life and void of mechanized life.

Molding and rotted banners hung quietly from the walls, their vibrant colors all but lost to the ages. Small mounds of rotted banners sat sadly underneath the banners. "We were once proud," they said, "now we're dying." A large clump of a banner slammed into the floor as we walked past with a loud bang. Some looked upon the banners with sadness staining their eyes, because they realized that all great civilizations someday leave behind crumbling monuments to their power. _That includes Atlas._ Just thinking of Remnant sent a jolt of homesickness through my heart.

A large brass-colored double door stood before us. The carvings that were on the door were covered by the rust that coated the door. The once shining brass, now sat dull and tainted by rust. An inscription sat at the center of the door. As we neared it, I saw that it was clearly in Dwarven.

"What does that say, Weiss?" Yang asked.

"Let me see…" I looked closely at the inscription. "I can't read it."

"I can read this." The Dragonborn says, walking up to the inscription. "It says 'Vzaldam Workshop: Subsection'."

"How can you read Dwarven?" I asked angrily, also partially from jealousy.

"I go through Dwarven ruins a lot, and a lot of words tend to repeat in these inscriptions." He replies.

He rested his hand on the door for a brief moment before shoving the door open. Dust rushed from the room we were about to enter, coating the ground in a very thin layer of dust. He propped the door open with some of the rotting chunks of the banners that lay on the ground. We were waved on to enter the door and Yang, along with Pyrrha and Ruby, strode through the open door and into the new room.

 _ **Vzaldam Workshop: Subsection**_

Green pipes hung from the ceiling, the metal rings that held them taunt were the only things showing their original height. The pipes had been so rusted, that they drooped from their original angle to form a small arc between the rings. In some areas rocks had piled up on the ground beneath a collapsed roof. Cobblestone made up the flooring. The rocks were cracked from the lack of maintenance for years.

Four brass tables stood in the center of the room, which they stood in for so long that bends had formed in the area between the legs. Small brass screws and cogs sat silently on the table, scattered about haphazardly. On one, broken Dwarven Spiders were covered in dust and various forms of decay. On another were the parts for the sphere part of a Dwarven Sphere. The other two housed the pieces and tools required to build and repair the automatons.

"Dragonborn, are you just taking everything that isn't nailed down?" Blake asked. I looked to see the Dragonborn holding numerous metal scraps and Soul Gems in his large hands.

"I do not know what you are talking about." He replied. "I am gathering supplies."

"'Gathering supplies' my ass." Blake replied.

"Language!" Ruby interjected.

"The Red One is right." He said, covering himself by shifting the topic.

"Don't try to move the subject from your looting." She snapped.

"'Looting' and 'supply gathering' are two different things." He said.

"I am in the Thieve's Guild. I think I know looting when I see it." Blake snapped.

"Even if I'm 'looting' as you say, just what do you intend to do about it?" The Dragonborn said, picking up another Soul Gem off of the table next to him.

"Oh, absolutely nothing. I find it ironic that you get on me for looting, yet here you are, looting." Blake said, pointing to his large stash of Soul Gems he gathered from the table.

"What I'm doing is reasonable, seeing as how no Dwarves are here to hold claim to these items. What you do, on the other hand, is reap from the unsuspecting." The Dragonborn said, a hint of harshness entering his tone.

"Enough." Yang interjected.

"Yes, enough." Pyrrha agreed.

"You stop first." Blake said to the Dragonborn.

"How about _you_ stop first?" He replied.

"You're both acting like children." I said to them.

"Are not!" Blake protested.

"Are too!" Yang said.

"Just shut up already." Ren said, annoyed.

The Dragonborn's Soul Gem/Dwarven Metal stash had grown substantially larger since we begun trying to break up their argument. _Looting even when he is arguing._ _ **What**_ _a dolt._

"Anyways." Nora prompted. We all looked at her, expecting her to continue. "I was hoping one of you would continue." She said sheepishly.

"We need to discuss which hallway we go through." Pyrrha said. _Which hallway?_

I looked around and noticed that there were hallways on either side of the room, which I missed because of the Blake-Dragonborn argument.

"Let's check what we can see from each hallway, but not head too far away." Ruby offered.

As we split up to walk around the room, four Dwarven Spiders descended from the overhead pipes. _I thought everything was dead in here. Guess not._ The four Spiders sized us up and began charging. The Dragonborn engaged one, bashing it with the boss of his shield. It shocked the shield, but the Dragonborn did not react as it had planned. It then began to scratch the shield. After a scratch-attack, the Dragonborn slashed it with his sword and it fell to pieces. He moved onto the next, but Nora smashed it with Magnhild. Nora then proceeded to smash the two remaining Spiders in one swing.

The Dragonborn's eyes widened. "Impressive. You would make a fine Nord woman." He praised.

Nora smiled brightly. "I like smashing things." She said, stroking Magnhild. _Was that a small glance at Ren?_

"Okay then." Yang murmured.

"Let's check those hallways now. And if you need help killing something, call Nora. But I think she'll already be halfway to you." Ruby joked.

"I think I'll be fine on my own, if anyone should be careful, it's you eight." The Dragonborn said.

I went with my team and Nora into the lefthand hallway. The hallway was simple, a pipe ran along the roof and a very muted shade of gold was painted on the walls. The hallway was relatively short, ending only 20 feet after the entrance, but it had a strong right turn in it.

And the thing that sat at the end of the hallway was a storage closet.

"That was anticlimactic." Ruby commented. Blake and Yang nodded.

"I didn't have anything to smash…" Nora sulked in the corner of the room at the realization.

The hallway on the right also ended in a storage closet.

"It's the strangest thing." Pyrrha said, "There's no exit from the room besides the way we entered."

"That seems to be the case." Blake replied.

"THE WALLS ARE CLOSING IN ON ME!" Jaune cried, collapsing and clutching his face.

"Stand up, you useless excuse for a Nord." The Dragonborn said angrily from the right storage closet.

"Are you still looting the closets?" Blake asked.

"I am not ' _looting_ ', I am gathering supplies." He replied, with an air of being done with a conversation they already had.

"Let's not start this again…" Ren said quietly.

"Don't worry, Ren! I can make them stop!" Nora said happily, clutching Magnhild tight.

"'Make them stop'?" The Dragonborn asked. "How do you plan on going about that?"

"Like this." Nora said, smashing the wall out between the storage closet and the main room, exposing the Dragonborn with arms full of random goodies from the Dwarven drawers.

"Do you not have any care for the ruins we stand in?" The Dragonborn asked.

"Well you asked for a demonstration of what I'd do…" Nora replied.

"That doesn't mean smashing a hole through an ancient structure that hasn't been traversed in what could possibly be a couple of Eras." The Dragonborn said.

"There are only four Eras…" I comment.

"And the Dwemer disappeared in the First Era 700." The Dragonborn replied.

"Man, Weiss is just at a loss when it comes to Dwarven things." Yang comments.

"I am not!" I protest.

"You were unable to translate the Dwarven out there, you messed up in Alftand and now you don't even know when the Dwemer disappeared." Blake added. I felt my face heating up.

"You… you dolts…" I say, my strength leaving my voice and going to heating my face. I looked to the Dragonborn to back me up, but he was just watching in silence.

He spoke up. "As much as I'd love to see Weiss turn into a tomato, we need to keep moving."

"I'm not- I am not gonna- fine…" I try to protest.

"Now then. Let's go." The Dragonborn said, walking to the other side of the room and opening a door. I looked at Pyrrha.

"You said there wasn't a way out."

Pyrrha turned more red than her hair.

"I didn't notice the door…" She replied meekly.

"How could you not see it? It was in plain view right as we entered this room." The Dragonborn said.

Pyrrha mumbled something like "I was distracted by something."

"What were you distracted by?" Jaune asked.

"Uh… Nothing." Pyrrha looked away from Jaune, now even her red hair turned red.

"So, are we going to move on? Or are we going to stand here as Pyrrha slowly begins to match the color of the Red Mountain after it exploded?" The Dragonborn asked.

I snorted. And a few other snickered.

"Let's go, guys." Yang said, walking towards the Dragonborn.

 _ **Vzaldam Workshop**_

The hallway we entered was much like the ones we had seen before; large brass pipes darted in and out of the walls, delivering steam to wherever it was needed. Brass fences lined a few walls, blocking us from entering a small room of large, turning gears.

We reached a small door, which the Dragonborn threw open.

A massive room came into view. It was square in shape with a stairway descending to a lower layer in the center of the room. The sides adjacent to the stairs had two workspaces on each side. Each workspace had a stone table with a multitude of screws and parts. They were blocked in with brass walls, with a cage-like area made of brass halfway up, with a brass chair/stool neatly tucked under the tables. The room itself was slightly dark, with a few areas for lights that had ran out of fuel many an Era ago.

Pyrrha lead us down the stairs, but we could still hear the sound of the Dragonborn taking everything that wasn't nailed down in the room we just left. Once we reached the bottom level, the Dragonborn had finished "gathering supplies" and rejoined us.

The bottom level had more workspaces, but they were more like worktables, numbering 10 with various projects still unfinished on them. On one table sat a large Dwarven Centurion with large dents and holes peppering the brass skin. At the far end of the work area there was a set of stairs that went up to some extension of the room. Pyrrha walked to the center of the room and turned around to face us.

"So what's the plan?" Pyrrha asked over the sound of metal pieces being taken off tables and put into a pouch.

"Maybe we should see what's in the next room before we- _could you stop making so much noise?!_ " Yang was interrupted by a loud bang coming from the Dwarven Centurion.

"What? I'm just trying to get it's Gyro." The Dragonborn replied nonchalantly.

"Just ignore him, Yang." Ruby said to Yang.

"Okay, Ruby. So, as I was saying, before we make a big decision." Yang finished her idea.

"Good point. So are there any volunteers to go explore the next area?" Pyrrha asked.

"I'll go" I volunteered.

Ruby raised her hand.

"Okay. Ruby, Weiss, go explore the next area." Pyrrha commanded.

I ascended the stairs and saw a simple room with a pedestal exactly the same as the one that we saw at the beginning of Vzaldam. Behind that were a set of doors blocked by metal caging. I assumed that when the pedestal was satisfied with the person's hand placed upon it, the caging would retract to the wall and the door could be accessible. On the front of the pedestal was a bit of Dwarven that I could not understand. After seeing everything there was to see, I motioned for Ruby to follow me back down to the group.

"So, what's in the other room?" Pyrrha asked us over the sound of the Dragonborn still walking around taking things off the tables.

"A pedestal with a hand-shaped indent on it." I replied.

"It was like the one at the beginning of Vzaldam." Ruby replied.

"Well, I guess I'm needed to translate again." The Dragonborn said, seemingly appearing behind us.

"Yes." A few of us said in unison.

"Yes." Nora said after everyone else.

"Well then, give me just a moment." The Dragonborn said, cracking his neck.

After a few moments, he returned.

"The inscription was again faded, and from what I could tell, it was the exact same one the previous pedestal had." The Dragonborn said.

"I guess we won't know what kind of tribute this pedestal will want then." Blake commented.

"I don't want Ren to get stabbed again!" Nora shouted, smothering Ren in a hug.

The Dragonborn seemed both shocked and not shocked by this development.

"You're right. We mustn't use the one in green again." The Dragonborn replied, still staring at Nora clinging to Ren.

"So who should we use instead?" Pyrrha asked.

"Considering that the one in green couldn't handle the last one, I'll activate it." The Dragonborn said.

"I just didn't expect it to take that much blood…" Ren said quietly.

"I've had more taken from me before, and someday, you'll have even more taken from you. Now then, any other comments?" The Dragonborn said and asked.

"I can't heal from eating a wheel of cheese." Ren murmured under his breath.

"Clearly you haven't had the wonder that is aged Breton cheese." The Dragonborn said, walking up the stairs.

I look at Ren and shrug, showing that even I don't know.

We follow the Dragonborn up the stairs and watch as he places his hand on the pedestal.

"Wow. That was entirely painless." He said, showing us a completely untouched hand.

"I wish I put my hand on this one…" Ren murmured.

"Why isn't the door opening?" I asked, looking at the bars blocking the door.

"Why are there spider-bots?" Yang asked, pointing towards a few Dwarven Spiders.

"Where'd the pedestal go?" The Dragonborn asked, pointing to an empty base where the pedestal was.

"NORA!" Ren shouted at a flying Nora.  
"Nora!" Nora shouted, smashing the Dwarven Spiders to bits.

I ran down the stairs in the middle of the group to rejoin Nora so we could fight off the waves of things attacking us. Where at first there were 4 Spiders, there were 6 Dwarven Spheres approaching us in a circle.

Nora swung Magnhild and broke a Dwarven Sphere into bits. The Dragonborn shield-bashed and then slashed a Sphere twice. The Sphere broke apart as it fell. I engaged a Sphere with Ruby. I glyphed ahead of Ruby and slashed it with my fire dust. It seemed to be unphased by the fire, but was slightly staggered by the strike. I stepped back and allowed Ruby to leap over my head and strike the Sphere with Crescent Rose. The Sphere rolled back a bit and shot a crossbow bolt at me, but Ruby swung Crescent Rose and cut the bolt before it could reach me. The Sphere started to maneuver around, but was shot in the head by Ruby's sniper rifle, causing it to break apart. Ruby held up her hand for a high five, but I ignored it so I could attack the next Sphere. I thought I could hear Ruby mutter "Thanks, partner" sullenly before quietly giving herself a self five. The Spheres were slightly harder than Spiders, but we disposed of them quickly.

"Good job, guys." Pyrrha said, patting Jaune's back reassuringly.

"Now's not the time to celebrate, take a look around." The Dragonborn said, pointing with his sword.

8 Spiders and 10 Spheres rolled out and began taking up positions around us. Nora zipped around, smashing Spiders with ease. The Dragonborn led the weaker combatants _(cough)Jaune(cough)_ in fighting the bots. The rest of us just broke apart into our partners and took them down, bot by bot.

Within a few minutes, we easily mopped up the bots.

"Is there going to be any more of them?" Nora asked, slightly out of breath.

"Sadly." Pyrrha replied, pointing to the Spiders and Spheres approaching.

I counted the approaching bots, noting that they numbered 12 Spiders and 14 Spheres. I tapped Ruby's shoulder, signifying that I was ready. We moved out, but we were knocked off balance almost immediately. The statues that stood in each corner of the room began moving. Not like they fell over, like they were walking and grabbing weapons. _Oh. This must be a Centurion._ I got a reply in the form of a massive cloud of steam being ejected from the Centurions. _Yup. Definitely Centurions._ Nora wasted no time in leaping up and hitting it with Magnhild. However, unlike the other robots she had obliterated with her hammer, this one got a single dent and swatted her across the room with its own hammer.

"Watch out for the Centurions!" The Dragonborn announced.

"Shouldn't you have mentioned that before Nora got drop-kicked across the room?" Yang asked. Yang's eyes lit up after she looked at the Centurions.

"Yang…" Ruby warned.

Yang threw herself at the Centurion and was knocked across the room like Nora.

" _What are you doing you idiot?!_ " The Dragonborn yelled.

"It's all a part of the plan." Yang replied from the wall.

"You aren't dead?" He asked.

"Far from it." Yang said, walking out of the crater she caused in the wall.

Yang threw herself at the Centurion again, to the dismay of the Dragonborn. But this time she broke the arm it swung at her in one hit. The Dragonborn began pulling his face down with his hands from anxiety. Then, without warning, Yang disengaged, to the relief of the Dragonborn. The Centurion was pelted by numerous grenades being lobbed from Nora's Magnhild. Nora seemed pleased with herself… Until the smoke cleared. There he was, slightly worse for wear, but otherwise fine. The Dragonborn was banging his head on his shield. "Explosions. Don't. Work. On. Centurions!" Yang fired a few shots of fire at it. "Fire. Doesn't. Work. Either!" The Centurion shot steam out of it's mouth like a menacing smoker, but with more "I can kill you" vibes.

The Dragonborn sighed and hefted his shield to engage the Centurion. He took a deep breath and then leaned forward to release the words of dragons. " _ **Fus… Ro Dah!**_ " The Centurion took a step back and lowered its guard. A rushing Dragonborn leapt and slammed into the staggered Centurion, slicing it over and over with his sword. After a few strikes that, seemingly, glanced off, the Centurion fell to the ground and its glowing eyes turned off.

"Just do that for the other three." He said, pointing to the three approaching Centurions.

"Easy for you to say." Yang mumbled, angry that her grand plan failed.

The Dragonborn laughed a little and hefted his shield to do battle with one of the Centurions rapidly approaching us.

Team JNPR took one Centurion and we took the remaining Centurion. I opened the engagement with a quick blast of ice dust to the Centurion. It seemed unphased physically from the attack, but moved a bit more sluggishly. _Good to know that I am only good for slightly slowing him down._ Yang mimicked the Dragonborn by running then leaping into the Centurion after yelling "Fus Ro Dah!". She hit it a few times, and was nearly hit, but she jumped out of the way. Ruby pumped three shots into the Centurion and dashed away to avoid his strike. _Looks like I can only support them with encouragement…_ _And glyphs._ Glyphs! I forgot them. "Ruby! On your right!" I shouted, pointing to my glyph I set up to allow Ruby be propelled into the Centurion and hit it. The Centurion's counter attack hit air as Ruby dashed away again. Blake used Gambol Shroud to wrap the Centurion's legs together, then Yang leapt up behind it to knock it over. It laid on the ground for a few moments whilst it was being slashed and hacked. _At least I could do damage to it now…_ The Centurion slowly raised itself onto its hands and began to lift itself to its feet, but the wrapping on its feet stopped it, so it stood on its knees and tried to fight on. Valiant as it was, it was ineffective because Team JNPR had quickly disposed of their Centurion and came to assist us in ours. Pyrrha raised her right hand, palm facing up in her outstretched arm, and the Centurion slowly floated upwards. Pyrrha told us to back up and then threw him into the roof and then smashed him onto the ground. His eyes flickered before turning off.

"So. How was fighting a Centurion?" The Dragonborn asked cheerfully from on top of a dead Centurion.

"Easier than you said it was." Pyrrha replied, throwing the Centurion across the room to express how easy it is for her.

"Well, perhaps it wouldn't have been so easy if you didn't have that magic of yours." The Dragonborn said.

"It isn't magic." Pyrrha replied.

"Whatever it is, it assisted you extraordinarily with the Centurion." The Dragonborn finished the discussion.

"Wow, the bars have retracted on the door." Ruby commented.

"Weird. The first one of these wanted someone intelligent and this one was about fighting skill. It's almost like it's testing the people who enter to see if they're worthy of getting to the Elder Scroll." I mentioned.

"For once, I think you're right, Weiss." Yang replied.

Pyrrha cleared her throat. "We should get moving."

"Yeah!" Nora agreed, still amped up from the fight. _She's gonna have a "sugar crash" later._

The door creaked as it opened, revealing a room that was overflowing with steam. I looked around and saw that a few of the girls' hair were already going frizzy. _Oh boy, this'll be good._


	20. All Ends Are Beginnings

**Chapter 20: All Ends Are Beginnings**

 ** _Yang's Perspective_**

 _ **Vzaldam Boilery: Haze**_

Steam poured out of the door the Dragonborn just opened and I instinctively grabbed Ruby's arm so we wouldn't get separated. However, my hand slowly slipped off when the steam clung to the floor; swirling and churning as objects moved through it, but always staying on the floor. The Dragonborn thrust himself through the doorway and into the steam filled hallway with an unknown number of automatons.

The pathway lazily turned right. The steam that filled the hallway had now stuck to the floor because of the open door behind us. The low amounts of steam revealed a lack of automatons in the path, and also a lack of loot for the Dragonborn. As the path neared its end, we were greeted by a heavily rusted door. Pyrrha and I gave it a solid push, but were rebuffed. "Stand aside." the Dragonborn commanded. We backed up. The Dragonborn took a deep breath and then called upon the words of the dragons to open the door. " _ **Fus… Ro Dah!**_ " The Thu'um rushed towards the door and struck it clean.

But it didn't open.

"What in Talos' name?" The Dragonborn asked, inspecting the door.

"How do we get it open now?" I asked.

"...I have an idea." Ruby said quietly.

"Speak your mind, little one." The Dragonborn prompted.

"Do you have any way of traveling super fast, Dragonborn?" Ruby asked.

"As a matter of fact, I do." He replied, raising an eyebrow out of curiousness.

"Ok. Here's the plan: I will use my super speed on you to get you moving fast, then you use yours and hit the door." Ruby said.

"This seems very dangerous and rather lacking in thought." The Dragonborn said. Ruby was crestfallen. "...So give me a second to prepare." The Dragonborn finished, causing Ruby to light up.

Once the Dragonborn was ready, Ruby tried, and failed, to hold the Dragonborn. She used her speed and then we heard " _ **Wuld… Nah Kest!**_ " ring out and there was a rush of air and loud clang. Then there was a slight creaking noise and the door opened slowly.

"Come here, little one." The Dragonborn said to Ruby whilst we were celebrating. He gave her a short hug and pat on the head. "That was a brilliant plan." Ruby smiled brightly.

"Thanks, Dragonborn!" She said cheerily.

"Don't go making any moves on my sister, now." I joked.

"I'm married, remember?" The Dragonborn replied in his usual monotone manner.

"...I was kidding." I mutter and the Dragonborn doesn't hear.

Through the open door I saw burst pipes hanging from the ceiling like slumped over corpses. Jagged edges showed the burst areas like the steep crevasses of a mountain range. Steam slowly poured from the ruptures; a slow-motion waterfall emptying into the cold stone room. The steam in this room was much thicker than that of the last one. So thick in fact, that I was unable to see much. I glanced at everyone that was hesitantly looking through the door like I was and I saw the same look of apprehension on their faces as I knew I had on mine.

"Since we won't be able to see much in there, want to split up into our teams?" Pyrrha asked.

"That seems like a good plan." Blake said.

"I think breaking up into your partners would be more efficient." Weiss announced snootily.

"Shut up, Weiss. It's a good plan." I said to her.

"The red one is correct." The Dragonborn said.

"Me?" Ruby and Pyrrha asked at the same time.

"Uh… the not-small red one." He said.

"Thanks, Dragonborn…?" Pyrrha replied, slightly unsure about the compliment.

"Anyways... " Pyrrha prompted. "It's time to break up into teams."

We all bunched up with our teams leaving the Dragonborn staring like an idiot.

"So… Who's going to take the Dragonborn?" Blake asked.

"We will." Ruby said with conviction.

"Thank you, little one." The Dragonborn said with a smile.

Team JNPR went in first, everyone holding onto each other. Then it was our turn to enter. I grabbed Ruby and the Dragonborn grabbed me. And then, Team RWBYD entered the room. _We'll work on that name._

"I can hardly see in here." The Dragonborn said in an offhand manner.

"Let me help!" Weiss said with a distinct pride in her voice. She then balled her free hand and made a ball of light appear.

"NO NO NO WAIT-" The Dragonborn shouted, but was cut off by the ball being sent into the air. The light that the ball emitted reflected off all the drops of water and amplified the intensity of the light, which made the light both blind and hurt us.

"Brilliant spell, Weiss, absolutely top tier magic." Blake said angrily, whilst shielding her eyes from the harmful rays.

"This is why I tried to stop you…" The Dragonborn said quietly.

"Shouldn't your silver spoon have given you enough education to know that.. I don't know… _water reflects light_?!" I asked, as the spots of flash blindness dance in my vision.

"You guys don't have to be so mean…" Weiss said meekly.

"You know what Weiss, you're right. We don't have to be so mean to the person that just _blinded us._ " I said sarcastically. Weiss hung her head and said nothing.

The farther we walked into the room, the hotter it got. I assumed it was because there was machinery at the center of the room that was heating the area around it. _It's hotter than a sauna in here…_ My hair was plastered to my head and face from either sweat or the steam or a combination of both. Whatever the cause, I was furious that my hair was in disarray from this room.

Up ahead I heard the sound of a muffled scream and something being dragged. Followed shortly by the sound of Pyrrha's sword hitting something metallic, causing a clang to echo in the room. Then I heard the sound of something metal being dragged and then smashed against a wall.

"Thanks, Pyrrha." Jaune said shakily.

"My pleasure, Jaune." Pyrrha replied.

 _Ah, an automaton tried to take Jaune from Pyrrha. Bad idea for that bot._

"So there are automatons in here." The Dragonborn said, pondering something he had yet to say. "I'll be right back, ladies."

He broke the chain and walked a few steps away from us. " _ **Laas… Yah Nir!**_ " I heard him whisper and a bright red film covered my vision for a split second. He then calmly walked off and proceeded to smash various bots in the room. He came back after only a moment.

"Let's continue." He said, rejoining the chain.

Pyrrha soon called out that she had found a door and we made our way over to her using the Dragonborn's magic find-everything-living shout. We cautiously made our way through the door and into the room that it opened into. There stood a fork in the road. To the left was a path where the walls were lined in pipes. The right descended into steam, blocking my vision from what lay ahead.

"Which way? Pipes or back into steam?" I asked, slightly sarcastically.

"Pipes." Ruby voted. Followed by Weiss, Blake and Jaune.

"Steam." Pyrrha voted. Followed by Nora and Ren.

"I agree with Ruby." I said, feeling my soaking hair with a shaky hand.

"Pipes it is then." The Dragonborn said, then whispered something about it not being the path he'd take under his breath.

We headed up the path with me in the front and Ruby behind me. As we ascended, various pipes let out small amounts of steam, probably to siphon off excess steam to prevent the system from being oversaturated with steam. Some pipes would rattle, some would rumble and others would stay silent before releasing their steam. All noises culminated into a symphony of machinery, brass upon brass, steam jettisoning into the hot air and the small footsteps taken by the procession of adventurers scaling Vzaldam's stone paths.

One pipe on the right side of the path let out a deep rumble that I brushed off as a small bit of steam. But I knew it might be something more than that when I heard " _ **Tiid!**_ " followed by a rush of energy washing over me. My vision was tinted blue and all my motions seemed grossly slowed, like I was moving through molasses. The Dragonborn ran over to Ruby, who stood next to the rumbling pipe, and pulled her back away from it. As the slowness of my movements faded, I noticed that the rumbling pipe seemed like it was slowly bursting. Right before steam burst from it, the Dragonborn grabbed me and yanked me back away from the bursting pipe and into safety. My movements returned to normal speed and I watched as the pipe burst apart, blasting steam into the opposite wall at forces that would crush me and Ruby.

"Th-Thank you, Dragonborn." Ruby said quietly. I repeated what she said. He rubbed Ruby's head.

"Fear not, Shield-Sister, I will do my best to protect you. And you as well, Yang." He said looking at me after talking to Ruby.

"Looks like I was right." Pyrrha said, in a mock-snooty fashion.

"I guess so." Ruby replied.

The path on the right was a simple path that lead a short way to an elevator.

"What do the inscriptions say on the lever?" I asked the Dragonborn as we all milled around on the elevator floor.

"'The Spire'." He replied, staring at it.

"Is everyone ready to head down?" He asked.

Everyone gave an indication of approval, then he yanked on the lever, sending us down into unknown depths.

 _ **Vzaldam Boilery: Spire**_

Dust sprinkled down from the roof, adding an enhancement to our hair that I did not appreciate. Our footfalls echoed off the stone walls and the machinery that was sporadically placed about the hallway. I shuffled along the cold stone, staring blankly at the feet of the person in front of me without even really paying attention. It was only when I ran them over after they stopped abruptly and received an angry "Hey!" that I realized I wasn't even paying attention. Before Pyrrha, whom I knocked over, stood a massive room, or I assume it is massive, because it was filled to the brim with various materials and trinkets.

"Well, Dragonborn, if you're going to 'gather supplies', here's the place." Blake commented under her breath.

"Not even I could manage to find anything useful amongst all of this...cluttered trash." The Dragonborn said.

Blake mumbled something about not being surprised if he dove headlong into the room.

Turns out, the large room full of trinkets was only a side room. _So why stop there?!_ The real door revealed itself at the end of the hallway, a short ways from the trinket room. The door creaked slightly as it was pushed open, but not loud enough that it was too noticeable. Before me was a long, narrow walkway that led to a tower. The walkway was elevated over _something_ , I just couldn't see what because of the rocky ceiling that had stalactites with small blue specks gently glowing in contrast to the dark, almost void black, stalactites.

A quick glance at everyone else showed that they all were waiting for someone to walk across the path, so I volunteered to be the first and hesitantly walked across the path. I very carefully leaned to see down over the walkway and saw the large expanse of a city. Golden rooftops contrasted the gray cobblestone streets. I noticed small glints of metal among the pathways and assumed they were just bots casually marching along the way.

"What do you see, Yang?" Pyrrha asked.

"A giant city." I reply.

"A city?!" A few asked excitedly and both teams ran over to see the city beneath their feet with expressions of ecstasy. The Dragonborn looked on with an expression of someone remembering something unpleasant.

I was going to ask the Dragonborn about the look on his face, but experience with people has shown that doing so would be a very bad idea. Instead, I looked again at the city below my feet and saw towers that lay across the street, the stones that once held up their golden rooftops scattered amongst the neighboring houses and streets. The glints of metal moved rhythmically up and down the streets, like blood cells in a vein. This made sense because, after all, they are robots. A hand touched my back and I nearly punched the person whom it belonged to until I heard the Dragonborn tell me we needed to keep moving. So I tapped the shoulders of the people near me and pointed to the disappearing figure of the Dragonborn. As I walked over to the Dragonborn, a large amount of light caught my eye off to the left. I looked and saw a massive ball of fire hung from the roof like a sun for the people who lived here. _This might be why the Dragonborn had a sad expression; he was remembering Blackreach and nearly killing us._

We neared the other tower and Jaune mumbled something about not wanting to die in the city below us. The Dragonborn reached back and smacked him on the back of his head.

We piled into an elevator that had a large windowed panel on the opposite side of the entrance. We all, excluding the Dragonborn, plastered our faces against the glass and stared at the vast city that we descended into.

 _ **Vzaldam Gatehouse**_

The elevator creaked to a halt and we piled out into the very dimly lit room. It was a square room with gears and steam, as per the usual, but at the very center of the room was a pedestal like the ones we saw at the other two places. This one had a knife on top of a basin, unlike the other two which had hand prints. The area behind the pedestal was a very dark black, almost like it sucked the light from the room.

"So, Dragonborn… try the inscription?" I asked.

"I will." He walked over and ran a finger across it. He opened his mouth, left it open for a second and then closed it.

"Is it completely unreadable?" Weiss asked.

"It is completely clear…" He said, showing there was something deep in the inscription.

"What does it say?" Ruby asked and he looked at her and then gained strength and said it.

"' _The impure are bound to lead a life of darkness. Only the most pure of spirits can guide these lost souls through the darkness, unto a new light._ '"

"So… What does that mean?" Weiss asked.

"'I am so smart, you can't understand me'. 'I go to college in Skyrim'. Durr durr durr durr durr!" I mocked Weiss.

Weiss turned a shade of red that was so dark, it was almost black.

The Dragonborn let out a deep laugh and said "That was brilliant, Yang."

Weiss got darker, if that was even possible.

"The more we talk, the longer you stay out of your home, so we need to continue." The Dragonborn said, grabbing the knife.

"I want to go first." Ruby stated plainly.

The Dragonborn laughed like a father would after his child talked back for the first time.

"Child, you are much too small to do this. See?" He grabbed her right hand. "It still contains the softness of youth." _So he's saying it'll scar?_

Ruby turned away, and then turned back and stared at him with the most effort I've seen her put into puppy-dog-eyes.

The Dragonborn narrowed his eyes and it seemed like Ruby had gotten to him, then as she walked over to the pedestal, he grabbed her hood and pulled her into the corner of the room, and in a commanding voice said "Stay".

"I'm not a dog!" She protested.

"If you aren't, then do not act like one." He replied.

"But enough of this talk. It is time for action." The Dragonborn said, making a small cut along the inside of his hand and clenching his fist to drip the blood into the basin at the top of the pedestal. Nothing happened.

"Is it broken?" Ruby asked, standing in the corner where the Dragonborn left her.

The Dragonborn stared at the pedestal in shock. Ruby walked over and pulled him away from it. The dagger clanged as it fell out of the Dragonborn's hand out of shame. Jaune picked it up.

"My turn." He said, mustering up the confidence to speak. He walked over to the pedestal, and reached out his hand and raised the dagger just as the Dragonborn did. But his dagger hand was shaky. In one motion, the dagger fell out of his hand and lodged itself in his shoe.

"Mommy!" He said in a pitch so high and so quietly, I could barely understand it.

Pyrrha walked over and pulled the dagger out and walked him away from the pedestal.

"Do you want some milk with those tears, boy?" The Dragonborn called out.

Jaune, ironically, began to cry softly.

The Dragonborn just sighed heavily, not even mustering up a response. Pyrrha murmured softly to Jaune and I decided that it was time for me to step up.

I picked up the dagger and looked over it. It was a simple bronze colored dagger with small inscriptions and indents that I couldn't make out. I shrugged. The dagger passed quickly through my skin, and I clenched my fist like the Dragonborn did and watched as my blood dripped down into the basin and down the hole at the bottom. Again, nothing happened. Well, nothing positive.

The black wall that was before us had moved closer to us on all sides. _Well, this isn't good._

"Well, darn." I said, sarcastically.

"WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!" Jaune shouted, thrusting himself forward with a face so pale it was white.

"You can… come out of the corner." The Dragonborn said to Ruby, who was very close to the blackness.

"Thanks…" Ruby said, sarcastically.

Nora shouted, "I WILL GO NOW!" She picked up the dagger and cut her hand and had the blood in the pedestal all before I could register her words. The darkness in the room inched ever closer to us. _Oh no._

"If Nora goes, then so shall I." Ren stated, grabbing the dagger and adding his blood to the pedestal. Again, the darkness inched closer.

"Maybe it needs the blood of someone wearing black to remove the black." Blake joked, dripping her blood into the pedestal. _Well, I don't think it does._ The darkness was now forcing us to stand close to one another.

"In what world did you see that logic working?" The Dragonborn asked.

"Well I thought…" Blake mumbled something incohesive. "What about your confidence going in, then the shock when you too failed?" She asked, after thinking for a moment.

"Having experience with blood seals before, I figured this one would be no different." The Dragonborn said.

"Sure." Blake replied.

"You ok with me going next?" Pyrrha asked Jaune.  
"I can be on my own. But I… uh… I d-don't want you to get hurt." He replied, cherry red.

Pyrrha ruffled his hair and walked over to the pedestal. If I was not mistaken, I saw her blushing too.

 _Another trial, another inch closer to being consumed by this void._ But this was different. Her blood made the machinery start moving, granted it was only for a second, but it moved.

"Woah, what was that?" Pyrrha asked, looking at her hand.

"I think we need people dressed in red, not black." Ren put forth his thoughts.

The Dragonborn nodded before realizing who else was dressed in red.

"I would hate to disagree with you, but you're wrong. It's people in white. Right, Weiss?" He said, panic masked over by confidence.

"What he said seems perfectly-" Weiss was interrupted.

"That's the spirit!" The Dragonborn pushed her over to the pedestal and put the dagger in her hand. "Now, go ahead."

"Sure." She dripped her blood into the pedestal and the machinery worked in reverse, if that was possible. _Can machinery not move any less?_

The Dragonborn looked around and noticed that everyone had gone… except Ruby. _Oh no, not Ruby!_

"It is my turn." She said, walking over to the pedestal. It wasn't a long walk; we were so tightly packed I could touch the pedestal, and this room was fairly large before we began.

Ruby picked up the dagger gingerly and hesitantly moved it towards the hand she intended to cut. She took a deep breath and then cut it. The only sound in the room was the dripping of her blood. And the Dragonborn worrying about her. Nothing seemed to happen at first. _Another trial, another-_ Machinery came whirring to life. The light that hung from the ceiling flickered very gently and after a moment of this, it all stopped. A single ball of light came up from the pedestal. Ruby grabbed it instinctively and she, too, softly glowed.

"What the fu-" Blake started to talk, but Ruby raised a hand to stop her. She walked through the blackness, cutting a path through it.

There, before us, stood the doorway to the city that holds the way home. I was giddy to say the least.

After a moment of thought, the Dragonborn spoke up. "So, the pedestal required the blood of a person with a pure soul. Those Dwarves sure were clever bastards."

"Yeah. I guess." Pyrrha said, wrapping gauze over her cut. _She's just mad that she couldn't make it work fully._

The Dragonborn, noticing the lack of desire to talk, threw open the door wordlessly.

 _ **Vzaldam**_

The light of the artificial sun that hung over the city blinded me after nearly being suffocated in darkness. Weiss' heels clicked on the gold stones that made the pathways. We had found ourselves in, what seemed like, the market district of the city; stores, taverns and banks lined the streets. The cobble that made up the streets were well worn and the buildings in the area were also well worn. Despite the wear that came to the market district, it still stood up in defiance to time and the beating of the people who walked these streets those many an Era ago.

We set off down the street and within a few feet noticed a large building that sat upon a hill overlooking the city. This building was massive. I mean it was _massive_. A single pathway rose above the city and towards the building. _Maybe this is where we go to get the Elder Scroll._

"You may be right, Yang." Pyrrha commented. _Did I say that outloud?_

"Yes. Yes you did."The Dragonborn replied.

"I'm just so focused on going home, I don't even know what I'm doing." I said in defeat.

"Don't worry, we all feel that way." Ruby comforted me.

"Thanks, Ruby." I said. She nodded in response.

The Dragonborn cleared his throat.

"Back on topic." He said.

"My unconscious talking _was_ the topic." I told him. He stared at me uncomprehendingly.

"I meant the Elder Scroll in the big building." He replied.

"It is quite possible." Blake commented, drawing a few nods from the people in the room.

"Then let's check it out." Pyrrha announced.

We began walking through the road we thought would lead to the library. Off to the left rose a large pathway. I assumed it was an aqueduct. That was until I noticed the train resting on one of the tracks. _The dwarves had monorail?_ But there it was; its curved fronts of the engine cars and the many passenger cars between them. The track it was on slithered its way over the city, finally stopping at the top of the hill that the large building sat upon. Small flashes of blue light came from the engine car nearest us. I squinted my eyes and noticed that it was a Dwarven Spider tinkering on the car to make it move again, but in vain.

"I knew the Dwarves were advanced, but...I never expected _that_." Weiss said. As it turns out, my gawking drew the attention of everyone else.

"Yeah, to think they'd have a monorail down here." Blake said.

" _Mon-o-rail_? What do you speak of?" The Dragonborn asked, confused. _Oh, right, he has no idea what a monorail is._

"Think of it as a fast moving, robotic horse that carries people inside of it." Ruby said.

After some thought, the Dragonborn responded with a bit of a chuckle "Once again, the Dwarves outdo themselves."

We resumed walking down the road, passing by what seemed to be collapsed apartment buildings. Everyone would always take cursory glances into the buildings, just in case we were being lead astray. However, everyone stopped dead when we heard a loud crash next to us.

The Dragonborn instinctively readied his weapons, as did everyone else. But we couldn't see the cause of the crash. The source however, was in plain sight. A massive bolt, nearly the size of Ruby, was sticking out of the ground, with the rubble it brought up from the road surrounding it. A few seconds later, another bolt shot down from a different direction, landing at Jaune's feet, which caused him to nearly jump out of his skin.

"Everyone take cover!" The Dragonborn yelled, heading towards one of the buildings to our right.

We split up into the same teams that we head in the boilery, Team JNPR headed into a building on the left, and the rest of us joined the Dragonborn in the building on the right. I started to scan the upper parts of the buildings, trying to find our attackers. "Up there! In the tower!" Blake called out, pointing towards a dilapidated tower ahead of us. What I saw was not what I expected.

To put it simply, it looked like a large, robotic turtle with a spiky back. However, like everything the Dwarves made, it wasn't that simple. I noticed what appeared to be the two ends of a giant bow sticking out from either side, and the legs were definitely more centered on its body than that of a turtle.

I turned my head to see Ruby aiming Crescent Rose at the turtle-bot, but she seemed to be having difficulty getting a clear shot. I looked back to the tower and noticed the turtle-bot moving rapidly around, as if it knew she was aiming at her. Once she finally got a shot off, it definitely hit, but it only staggered it. In response to Ruby shooting it, the bot fired a shot of its own back at us. We took cover behind a collapsed wall, but the shot broke clean through the wall, causing it to fall to pieces. The Dragonborn, meanwhile, was taking shots at it with an ebony bow, trying to get its attention.

"Aim for the sphere in the center of its body!" The Dragonborn called out.

With that, Ruby took aim while the turtle-bot was distracted with the Dragonborn, and fired. The shot connected, and it broke into two halves, the bow-half falling off the tower and landing with a loud thud. I looked over to Team JNPR to see how they were faring, and they seemed to take up the Dragonborn's advice, and their bot was down within seconds. After their bot fell from wherever it was perched, we reconvened back on the road.

"What were those things? I don't think we saw anything like them in Alftand." I asked.

"Dwarven Ballista. I've only read about them, and how their rounds ignore even the strongest of armor. To think that the Dwarves here had them, they must've been serious about keeping unwelcome guests out." The Dragonborn said.

"It's a bit too late for that." Pyrrha said.

We resumed our walk down the road, fighting the Dwarven Spiders and Spheres that were drawn to the crashing sounds the Ballista's made. The walk itself wasn't that long, because we reached what appeared to be a central square shortly after we resumed. The only problem was that the road we were following now split up and took different paths throughout the city. We gathered at the center of the square, in which sat a ruined fountain, to discuss our options.

"Now the question becomes which path will lead us to that massive building." The Dragonborn said.

"Well, the monorail seemed to go by the hill, maybe we can just follow the tracks?" I suggested.

"In that case, we are to head…" The Dragonborn paused to look up at the tracks "northeast."

After a few nods of agreement, we headed towards the road which best fit the description of "northeast". _Sometimes I wonder how he's able to tell directions without a compass…_ The new road was in much worse shape than the previous one, causing us to squeeze between collapsed buildings and dirty alleyways to keep up with the Dragonborn, who was traversing through it like it was nothing. After what seemed like forever, we arrived at the base of the massive hill, everyone except the Dragonborn covered with new scrapes and dirt marks.

The good news about climbing the hill? It's a straight path with no buildings to traverse around or through. The bad news? It's still a hill, and after walking through this entire ruin with little time to sit down and rest, it took a toll on all of us. Sure, we had stamina potions, but once we ran out of the larger ones, the small ones did little more than give us a quick boost that faded just as fast as it arrived. Once we reached the top of the hill though, my breath was taken away for another reason entirely.

Massive braziers lined the surprisingly well maintained path leading to the massive structure. The building itself had a large, seemingly cylindrical base, with two smaller, rectangular section jutting out of both sides of it. Whereas the city beneath us was in disrepair, this building seemed to be almost immune to the effects of time. We began to make our way towards the elaborately carved door when the Dragonborn stuck both of his hands out to block us. A few of us, myself included, were about to ask him why he stopped, but then I noticed what he was staring at.

At either side of the door, stood two _massive_ Centurions, easily much larger than what appeared to be the standard. However, these ones were different. For starters, it didn't have a face, that section was just smoothed out. The next thing I noticed were the arms, which were _actual_ arms, hands and all. But the hands weren't empty, both carried an equally massive sword and shield. They stood with the shield blocking their body, and their sword being pointed towards the ground behind it. Both seemed to be looking towards the path, but their heads were angled downwards. _I guess this is why the Dragonborn had us stop?_

" _ **Laas… Yah Nir!"**_ silently rang out, and once again, the red hue briefly flashed over my vision. After a few seconds, the Dragonborn dropped his arms and said "They are inactive, it is safe to move forward."

Upon reaching the door, the Dragonborn looked up towards what appeared to be a plaque sitting above it. After a minute of analyzing, he said "This is the Grand Library. If the Elder Scroll is anywhere in this city, it'll be in here."

Cries of joy and happiness filled the cavern, though the Dragonborn seemed to be holding back something which was clearly bothering him. Again, I was about to ask before I decided that doing so would probably not be the best idea. Before I could second guess myself, he shook it off and threw the doors open, leading us into the Grand Library.

 _ **Vzaldam Grand Library**_

The first thing I noticed upon walking through the doorway, was the fact that the lights in here were still working. Because of this, I was able to clearly see the rows upon rows of bookshelves which lined the walls of this place, all of them reaching to the ceiling. Ladders were scattered amongst the shelves, some still propped up on the shelves themselves. The center of the room contained four rectangular, shallow ponds, with a single fountain situated in the center of them. To our left and right were multiple common areas with numerous tables, chairs, and benches surrounding now silent fireplaces. The hallways themselves seemed to stretch on forever in both directions past the common areas. _This place seems to have gotten even bigger once we got inside._

"Did the Dwarves really have to make it so hard on us?" Blake asked.

"Clearly the Dwarves here treasured knowledge above all else." The Dragonborn said.

"I found that apparent when I noticed that while the city below us is in ruins, this library is in top condition." Pyrrha said.

"So now the question is, just where in this massive place is the Elder Scroll?" Weiss asked.

"To best answer your question, I suggest we start taking a look around. We won't find the scroll by just standing here, now will we?" The Dragonborn said.

After some nods of agreement, we all split up to search for the Elder Scroll. Weiss, being the "overachiever" she is, had decided to try and find the library's registrar, which in itself had become another task entirely. The rest of us headed off towards different sections of the library to find _any_ sign of the Elder Scroll. Ruby and Blake headed off towards the right wing, whereas Team JNPR went towards the left wing. Me and the Dragonborn had decided to stay in the center. _Where do I even begin to look?_ I decided my best bet was to climb one of the ladders and start shuffling through the shelf.

Some time had passed, many books now covered on the floor, and my arms were getting tired. I descended to see if anyone else had any luck, but all I saw were disappointed faces. However, while I was up on the ladder, I had noticed that by the entrance, two staircases lead to a second floor. After informing the others, we all headed to them and began the climb to the second floor.

Upon reaching the next level, we were met with a floor that looked very similar to the first, which didn't exactly raise my hopes. While the bookshelves once again rose to the ceiling, this time, large tables filled the center of the room, some of which still had books and half-finished papers on them. We began to make our way through the room when we were met by an unpleasant surprise, a wall. The placement on it seemed odd, because it cut the rooms size significantly. To make it even weirder, the wall itself didn't cut off the room entirely. Two hallways cut in between the wall and the edges of the room, leading to who knows what.

"So, which path should we take?" I asked.

"I think it would be best to split up, if they end up being dead ends, we met back here." The Dragonborn suggested.

"And if one path is but the other isn't"? Ren asked.

"Then follow the group that didn't take the dead end." The Dragonborn said.

Team JNPR decided to take the left hallway, so we joined the Dragonborn in the right hallway. After walking down it for a few minutes, the path widened, and we noticed a door to our left. Upon opening it, we saw numerous benches leading to a podium, which sat elevated on some raised stones. Impressive as it was, we continued down the hallway, which exited to a small, rectangular room. Shortly after we arrived, Team JNPR did as well, telling us how their hallway had a well furnished room with a fireplace.

Before we could go any further into our conversation, however, the Dragonborn brought our attention back to the room we were currently standing in. He gestured over to a set of stairs which lead up to an ornately carved door. Two more of the modified Centurions stood guard at the door, and a pedestal sat in front of the door. We all walked up the stairs to see what trial the Dwarves would put us through this time.

"What does the inscription say this time?" Ren asked.

"' _Filled with lore, I am, though not at first sight. Small in stature, I may be, but not in knowings. What am I?'_ " The Dragonborn rubbed his head with his hands "Damn Dwarves and their riddles."

"Come on, it doesn't sound _that_ difficult." Ruby said.

"Ruby's right, we just have to put some thought to it and the answer will come in no time." Pyrrha said.

And so, everyone fell into silence to better think about what the answer could be. We thought the Dragonborn would've thrown an answer or two out, but nope, he was just pacing back and forth in thought. _Clearly it's harder than we thought._ I was about to start banging my head against a wall when Weiss blurted out "Wait! I think I've got it!" Everyone looked at her in anticipation.

"Is it a Lexicon?" The moment she uttered 'Lexicon', the pedestal retracted into its base as gears began to turn behind the walls. Then, the door opened, beckoning us into the next room.

 _ **Vzaldam Grand Library: Arcanex**_

I stepped over the threshold cautiously and noticed that the room was a spitting image of the room that sent us here. It was like we went back in time to where the room was slightly less decrepit. Bookshelves lined the walls, the crisp looking books stacked neatly amongst the hand carved shelves. A single mana powered light shown brightly over the scattered stone chairs in the room, their glossy stone surface reflecting the gentle glow. Ruby dashed out in front of us, charging to the back of the room to see if the Elder Scroll was there. She screamed and we looked to see what caused the commotion. It was the only active automaton in the entire library. Weiss smashed it without thinking and I saw what it was: a Dwarven Spider. Ruby looked out from behind the pedestal that held the Elder Scroll timidly.

"Well, we're here," Pyrrha stated calmly.

"Yeah!" Ruby leapt up and dashed around the room. After a moment she lay in the center of the room, gasping for breath.

"Are you alright, Ruby?" I asked her.

Ruby stared blankly at the roof.

"I will take that as a 'yes'," I said.

She threw her upper body forward to sit up. She slowly turned her head to me. "I _am_ alright."

I walked cautiously up to the pedestal and ran my hand along the stone that held our pathway home.

"What I cannot get over is that this pedestal is both in the Nordic style and it has Dovahzul on it." the Dragonborn announced, walking up to read the Dovahzul. He ran his fingers along the inscription and then pulled out a paper and charcoal.

"I take it that you can't translate it," Weiss commented snootily.

"Not yet," he replied, the charcoal dashing from letter to letter and leaving behind a thin, black line. After a few determined strokes he had completed the tracing and beheld the paper before him with the Dovahzul plainly sitting on the paper.

Slowly, we all gathered around the pedestal. The Dragonborn looked over sadly and we awkwardly milled around.

"I think it is time that we say our goodbyes," the Dragonborn said calmly.

He was hit in the gut by a speeding Ruby giving him a death grip hug. He smiled.

"Ah yes, the most energetic of the bunch. If you had acted and talked the way you do now back when we first met, I would've thought you to be a Nord. I'm so proud of you." The Dragonborn said, returning the hug. _So cute!_

"I'm gonna miss you!" Ruby announced.

"Aye, the Companions won't be the same without you." He reached into the front of his breastplate and pulled out a necklace that looked like a spike being jabbed into a block of wood. He slowly pulled it over his head and gently placed it in Ruby's outstretched hand. "As long as Talos is watching over you, you can be assured that I will be as well. Stay safe little one, and may our paths cross again in Sovngarde."

Ruby turned the color of her cloak and slipped the necklace over her head and held the amulet in her hand and happily let it fall onto her chest.

The Dragonborn smiled. We gathered around the Scroll, but I felt a gentle tap on my shoulder. The Dragonborn winked and handed me a few bottles and a barrel of mead. Everyone else said a quick goodbye and Ren picked up the Scroll. _This seems familiar_. Well, except for the weight of the mead the Dragonborn gave me. I turned to him and he shot me a thumbs up. Ren took a deep breath and began to unfurl the Elder Scroll.

Bright lights and a loud buzzing sound filled everything around me. My feet screamed in protest as they hit solid ground. I slowly opened my eyes and saw the area we were before we went to Nirn. I nearly collapsed. Some of the others yelled and jumped about, hugging and high-fiving. We were excited to be home.

"We did it! We made it home!" Nora shouted, running down the hallway and out the front door, rolling in the Remnant grass with gusto.

"Nora! You'll stain your clothes!" Ren protested, picking her up off the ground.

"Come on guys! Let's get back to Beacon!" Pyrrha happily commanded.

* * *

 **/AN (IMPORTANT: If you haven't read these before, please read this one. Lots of important information follows)**

 **And so, our journey has finally ended. Teams RWBY and JNPR have successfully made it back home to Remnant, with the assistance of The Dragonborn. Though, personally, one of my favorite bits of this chapter is the title. "All Ends are Beginnings", for the end of one story, could be the beginning of another. But, we'll get back to that, because I have something more important to do first.**

 ** _To all who worked on "The Remnants of Nirn" [Using Reddit account names for confidentiality],_**

 ** _/u/Crapperto[Azarth], even though you came on to the team close towards the end, you still offered a plethora of amazing ideas and scenarios for us to do with not only what we had left, but for other possible works as well. You brought back something the team was lacking since chapter 11, being our ability to loosen up and fuck around._**

 ** _/u/captinmet [The creator of the title to this story], me and AbsoluteDark_10 brought you onto the team not only so we could have a third opinion, but so we could have someone read over our work and make sure it was grammatically correct. Sadly, that didn't last long. However, you became more of the "comic relief" and "morale" who helped us move forward during stressful moments. And of course, your opinion still had an impact on the direction this took._**

 ** _/u/AbsoluteDark_10[Main detail/RWBY dialogue guy], when this started, I didn't think that this would grow to what it has become today. Without your creative genius, guided by my layout, The Remnants of Nirn grew from a small blip in the RWBY x Elder Scrolls section to one of the section's more popular titles. Without you, none of this would've been possible, and for that, you will always have my thanks. May you have the best of luck in your future endeavors._**

 **Now, concerning that last line, yes, we are losing a team member. He has a life to lead, and that includes things that are more important than working on a fanfic. I don't blame him, everyone has their priorities, and some outweigh others. But, now all we can do is look to the future.**

 **And what is that future, you ask? Well, something that has been in planning since long before we were done with "The Remnants of Nirn". Some of you more keen eyed readers might have noticed some things here and there hinting at a possible sequel, and I'm happy to tell you now that if you guys want one, we'll deliver.**

 **But, we'll need YOUR help. That's right, if you're interested in joining our team, all you need to do is either PM me here on FF, or on Reddit [/u/xXEmpoweredXx], saying that you're interested. Now, there are some requirements, though if you're on this page right now, you've probably already met them. [We'll be taking a maximum of 2, and possibly but highly unlikely (due to group size) 3 new members]**

 **The list is as follows:**

 ** _Owns Skyrim and all of its DLC_**

 ** _Has access to Skype or Discord [Preferably Skype, but it doesn't matter]_**

 ** _Have up-to-date knowledge on RWBY_**

 ** _Has some previous writing experience_**

 **Things that will increase the likelihood of you getting picked [not required]:**

 ** _Has previous RWBY fanfiction experience_**

 ** _Can confidently write fight scenes_**

 ** _Can confidently write RWBY character dialogue [refer to first point in this section]_**

 ** _Has a good understanding of TES lore_**

 **And so, that just about wraps up everything. It's been fun everyone, and once again, thank you for staying with us to the end. This is xXEmpoweredXx speaking for the entire "The Remnants of Nirn" team when I say: We'll see you next time.**

 ****IMPORTANT: Remember to continue following the story! A preview of the first chapter of the sequel will be posted here once it has been officially released. So stay tuned!**


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